


Re:Awakened

by FanOfTA



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: M/M, other side couples but those are the bigger ones
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-25
Updated: 2017-05-25
Packaged: 2018-11-04 15:56:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 45
Words: 117,607
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10994172
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FanOfTA/pseuds/FanOfTA
Summary: Twelve guardians of the past were appointed to keep the demon at bay.  With new forces stirring in the darkness, the seal threatens to be broken.  Can the new guardians band together to prevent destruction and bring balance back to the world?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Cross-posting from AFF. This was posted from December 25, 2015 until December 4, 2016. It was a 3 year writing challenge for myself in which I rewrote my very first fanfic, which is why there's a "Re:" in front. I will not be posting or linking to the original version because I rewrote it for a reason lol!
> 
> I WILL NOT BE RESPONDING TO QUESTIONS REGARDING WHO TOPS OR BOTTOMS.

      Sehun yawned as the bell rang and students sprang from their seats, filing out of the classroom as quickly as they could. School was over, but Sehun still had his after school dance class. He lethargically slid out of his seat, slinging his backpack over his shoulder, and headed from his classroom to the dance studio at the back of the school.

 

      Upon entering, two other students began waving at him, calling him over. They were his two best friends: Jongin and Taemin. They were often referred to as the dancing trio, since they were all fairly good at it and practically glued to each other at the hips.

 

      Sehun threw his backpack down in the corner, then sat down beside Jongin. He began stretching and warming up with the other two.

      “So how was class?” Taemin asked.

      “Boring. I fell asleep,” Sehun sighed.

      “That's why you're failing,” Taemin deadpanned.

 

      Sehun rolled his eyes and Jongin giggled a bit. The boy wasn't usually very talkative, but the other two didn't mind. They understood just how shy he was, so they never pushed it. When he had something he wanted to say, he would say it to them.

      “I was talking to the teacher today,” Taemin started once more. “He said we're getting a new student in class.”

      “Really? This time of year?” Sehun asked.

      “He said he's an exchange student from China.”

      “Wow,” Sehun hummed. He didn't exactly care that much about the news.

 

      Another student walked into the room. He was a third year in high school, two years ahead of Sehun, Jongin, and Taemin, but he looked like he could still be in elementary school. He was extremely friendly though, and often conversed with them. He waved at the group and sat down beside Sehun.

      “Hey guys~”

      “Hey Minseok,” Sehun yawned.

      “Wow, happy to see me as always,” said boy replied sarcastically. Sehun simply shrugged. “Did you guys hear about the new students?”

      “The one from China, you mean?” Taemin asked.

      “There's 3 actually,” Minseok explained. “One is joining dance class and another's joining choir from what I heard.”

      “What about the third?”

      “I dunno. I'm just saying what I heard.”

      “I wonder if Onew would know about the other kid in choir,” Taemin said in thought.

 

      Jongin grimaced slightly, but his face quickly returned to normal. Only Sehun caught the look. He glanced at Jongin knowingly and the other seemed to plead him with his eyes not to say anything. Thankfully, before Sehun could be an asshole and tease his friend, the teacher came in with another student trailing after him.

      “Alright everyone, listen up!” The teacher called. “We have a new student joining us today!” He turned to the student. “Go ahead and introduce yourself.”

      “Hello. My name is Zhang Yixing, but my nickname is Lay, so you can call me that.” He bowed and smiled, revealing a dimple. The teacher nodded.

      “Is anyone willing to take him under their wing and get him caught up on what we're doing?”

      “I will,” Minseok offered, raising his hand. Taemin did as well.

      “I can help him too,” he added.

      “Alright. Lay, there's your group.”

 

      Lay nodded and walked over to the four and sat down. Minseok and Taemin both extended their hands and Lay shook them one at a time.

      “Name's Minseok.”

      “And I'm Taemin.”

      “Pleased to meet you,” Lay answered.

 

      He glanced at the other two there, causing Jongin to cower a bit behind Taemin. Sehun realized he was supposed to introduce himself at that point.

      “Name's Sehun,” he said simply. Lay nodded.

      “And who's that behind you?” He asked Taemin. The latter smiled.

      “This is Jongin. He's pretty shy until you get to know him, but he's a good kid.” He pushed Jongin out from behind him. “Say hi at least.”

      “H-Hi,” Jongin stammered out.

 

      Lay smiled and nodded, holding his hand out for Jongin to take. The latter timidly gripped it and Lay shook his hand firmly.

      “Please to meet you, Jongin. I hope we can become close.” Jongin nodded and smiled.

      “So, what grade are you in?” Taemin asked.

      “I'm a second year,” Lay stated.

      “Hmm~ So you're older than us,” Sehun mumbled. “Taemin, Jongin, and I are all first years. But Minseok is a third year.”

      “I see. Good to know.”

 

      Soon, their teacher was clapping his hands, signaling the real beginning of class. The group got to their feet and joined the rest of the students at the center of the room.

 

~*~

      Jongin sighed as he followed Sehun and Taemin home after school. They were going to be staying the night at Sehun's place, as they often did on the weekends. Both his parents worked and he had a large house, so they were able to take it easy there.

 

      Jongin had encountered a bit of a problem. He'd fallen hard for Taemin. At first, he hadn't been entirely sure his feelings for Taemin were anything beyond friendly affection and appreciation, but when he found himself dreaming about kissing him, he realized it was definitely more. The problem was what to do with these feelings.

 

      Normally, a person would confess, but Jongin was way too scared to do that. He hated himself for being such a coward, but Taemin was his best friend, and he wasn't sure he could afford to lose him if things went wrong. Still, being alone with him, or mostly alone since Sehun was usually there, didn't exactly help him get over Taemin either.

 

      The three spent the evening playing video games and working on their dance routine for school. Jongin was able to keep him mind off of Taemin for a majority of the night. It wasn't until the two were standing on the balcony together, while Sehun laid on the floor in front of the sliding doors leading out to the balcony seemingly sleeping, that Jongin's thoughts began to wander.

 

      He looked Taemin up and down, noting his slender, but muscular body and broad shoulders. He was wearing a loose tank top, showing off his collarbones. When Jongin looked at his face, he noted that the older seemed troubled.

      “What's wrong?” He asked.

 

      Taemin let out a deep sigh, and Jongin noticed his hands were trembling. He placed his own hand upon Taemin's and gave them a gentle squeeze. Taemin gulped and began speaking.

      “There's something I want to tell you...But I'm scared of what you'll say...” He squeezed Jongin's hand back, looking at him with pleading eyes and waiting for a response.

      “You know I would never judge you,” Jongin soothed. “Who am I to judge when I can't even speak to people without shaking? Just tell me.” Taemin grimaced, but continued.

      “I'd noticed this before, but I was kinda in denial...But I don't think I can deny it anymore...I think...I'm gay...”

 

      Taemin looked down, but he continued clutching onto Jongin's hand. The words slowly registered in Jongin's mind. Taemin was gay. He had never imagined Taemin would actually be gay. That meant he had a sliver of a chance with him after all. Jongin wouldn't get his hopes up though. Doing that never ended well.

      “Um...Jongin...? Do you hate me now?” Taemin asked, noticeably trembling. Jongin realized he had yet to respond.

      “OF COURSE NOT!”Jongin shouted, startling Taemin. Even he jumped at his own intensity. Much calmer, he started speaking again. “S-Sorry. I didn't mean to shout. But seriously, it's fine. You're you. That's all that matters. I'll always love you no matter what.”

 

      Jongin gulped and internally pummeled himself for letting that last sentence slip. He had had no intention of confessing any time soon. Thankfully, Taemin didn't interpret it that way.

      “Awww~ Jongin, you're so cute! I'm glad I have you as a friend.” Taemin ruffled Jongin's hair and the younger's cheeks flushed, but he smiled nonetheless. “I didn't think you could shout though!” Taemin continued. “That really surprised me!” Jongin chuckled nervously and scratched the back of his head.

      “Sorry about that...”

 

      They stared at each other and eventually broke into wide smiles. A third voice then interrupted the moment.

      “I'm curious though. Who made you realize you were gay?” Sehun asked, sitting up and staring at Taemin.

      “S-Sehun! You were listening!?” Taemin gasped.

      “Well yeah. What, were you not even gonna tell me? Some trio we are!” Sehun cried dramatically. “And even if I were asleep, Little Mister Shouts-A-Lot would have woken me up.” Jongin pouted at him.

      “I don't shout a lot...” He muttered. Sehun shrugged and got to his feet, heading onto the balcony.

      “So, who was it?” He asked again. Taemin sighed.

      “You know that one guy, Minho?”

      “That's sports-crazy second year guy?” Sehun asked.

      “Yeah, him. For a while, I had a crush on him...Not anymore though.”

      “Hm~? So does that mean you like someone else?” Sehun inquired, smirking.

 

      Jongin tensed up. He hadn't considered the fact that Taemin might already like someone. This didn't bode well at all.

      “N-No! Of course not!” Taemin denied. “It just got me thinking...That's all.”

      “Oh, I'm sure,” Sehun teased.

      “Whatever, I'm going to bed,” Taemin huffed.

 

      Sehun smirked and waved as Taemin stomped off. Jongin was about to follow after when the youngest spoke up once more.

      “So...How are you holding up?”

      “What do you mean?” Jongin asked.

      “About Taemin.”

      “Um...”

      “I hang out with you enough to know you like him,” Sehun explained. Jongin bit his lip.

      “Please don't tell him.”

      “Why would I? That's none of my business. I'm not that much of an ass.” Jongin visibly relaxed. “But are you gonna tell him yourself?”

      “I doubt it. I'm too scared.”

      “Well, nothing can start unless you say something,” Sehun sighed.

      “Nothing will end either.”

      “Whatever you say,” Sehun sighed. “Anyways, let's go inside before Taemin starts complaining.”

 

      The two headed back in to Sehun's room. They pulled the futons out of the closet and set them up in a row on the floor. Afterward, they laid down and began talking and bickering with each other. It wasn't until much later that they finally fell asleep.

 

~*~

      Lay sighed and leaned against the wall, waiting for his math class to begin. It was the second week at the new school and he was still adjusting to the new setting. At least he had this class with one of the other exchange students.

      “Hey Lay!” A tall blonde called as he walked over. Speak of the devil.

      “Hey Kris. How are you?”

      “Pretty good. You?”

      “Alright. Still getting used to everything.”

      “Yeah...Made any new friends?”

      “Mmm...There's a group in my dance class, but I wouldn't say we're close friends just yet. You?”

      “Not really. There's a kid near my locker who seems pretty nice though...But we're not in any classes together.”

      “That's too bad. Think Luhan's doing ok?”

      “He's pretty sociable, so I'm sure.”

      “What about Tao...” Lay asked sadly. Kris sighed.

      “I wouldn't know, Lay. He just suddenly transferred schools and disappeared...”

      “I'm just worried about him...”

      “I know. Me too...I'm sure he'll be ok though.”

      “I hope so...I wish he would have at least told us something...I can't help but feel he did it to get away from us...”

      “You're reading too much into it. I'm sure there's another reason.”

 

      Before Lay could retort, the previous class finished piling out of the room and Kris headed inside, motioning for Lay to follow him. The dancer sighed and pushed himself off the wall. He couldn't shake the feeling of dread in his stomach when he thought about Tao.

 

~*~

      Dance class let out early for once that day, so the group decided to head over to the stage to catch the tail end of choir class. Both Taemin and Lay knew someone in the class and Taemin had even been interested in taking it. It had conflicted with dance class though, so sadly, he had to pick one or the other.

 

      They stayed in the back of the auditorium and listened. A third year was singing when they entered. His voice was warm and silky, almost goosebump inducing. Jongin heard Taemin sigh, staring at the guy singing.

 

      Jongin followed his line of sight to the person singing. He recognized him as Lee Jinki, but most people called him Onew. There was another person Jongin hadn't seen before sitting beside him. Was he the Chinese exchange student Lay knew? Jongin tugged on said boy's sleeve.

      “Is the guy sitting next to him another exchange student?” Jongin asked.

      “Hm? Oh yeah. That's Luhan. Believe it or not, he's a third year, despite the baby face.”

      “So he's a lot like Minseok...” Sehun added.

      “Hey! I don't have that bad of a baby face!” Aforementioned boy complained.

      “Sure, whatever you say,” Sehun joked.

      “Do you have any classes with Luhan?” Lay asked. Minseok nodded.

      “I have a few. I've tried to talk to him, but he's kinda reserved...”

      “He's just nervous. He's pretty friendly once you get to know him.”

      “I'll take your work on that,” Minseok sighed.

 

      Onew finished singing and sat down in his seat. Taemin grabbed Kai's arm and shook it excitedly.

      “Wasn't he amazing, Jongin?” Taemin whispered.

      “Mm,” Jongin responded, with a small nod.

 

      Luhan stood up next and Lay smirked. He nudged Minseok and pointed at the Chinese singer.

      “Luhan's got one hell of a voice. Just listen!” He exclaimed.

 

      Minseok raised an eyebrow, but listened intently to Luhan all the same. When the boy started singing, Minseok's eyes went wide. His voice was soft, not as powerful as Onew's, but there was something extremely soothing about it. Minseok could get lost in his voice. Lay smirked, his dimple showing once more. He was proud of Luhan and loved seeing others equally impressed with the boy.

 

      When Luhan finished, the next boy stood up to sing. Sehun and Jongin vaguely knew him as Baekhyun, since they'd run into him once or twice in the hallway while exchanging books at their lockers. They hadn't ever really talked before though. Sadly, before Baekhyun could sing, the teacher announced that class was over.

 

      The students grabbed their bags and headed for the exit. Baekhyun nodded at Sehun and Jongin in greeting, then made his way out of the room. Luhan and Onew were about to walk by, but Lay and Taemin waved them over.

      “Hey!” Luhan greeted Lay. “You've got quite the clique going, don't you?” He motioned to the others.

      “Oh whatever,” Lay said, rolling his eyes. “Shall I introduce everyone?”

      “Please!”

      “This is Sehun. And this is Jongin, then Taemin, and Minseok, though you might know him already. They're all in dance with me.”

 

      The group exchanged greetings. When it was time for Minseok to say hello to Luhan, he waved awkwardly, still somewhat flustered from the other's performance. Luhan nodded back, then turned to Onew.

      “On my end of things, this is Onew. I don't know if you guys have met.”

      “We've met before,” Taemin said, pointing between himself and Onew. “But the other's haven't.”

      “Nice to meet everyone,” Onew said, bowing a bit.

      “Anyways, I've got to get home now,” Luhan sighed. “Got a project to work on.”

      “Oh, that one for history? I've gotta work on it too,” Minseok groaned.

      “Want to come over and help? I'm still not caught up though, so you might have to back track and help me...”

      “I'm fine with that,” Minseok agreed. “We'll see you guys later then!”

 

      With that, the two walked away, waving goodbye. Lay couldn't help but smile. Luhan was usually sociable, but in a completely different environment like he was in now, sometimes he took a little extra warming up. He hoped Minseok could do just that.

      “So now what? You want to come over Taemin?” Sehun asked. “Jongin was gonna come chill at my place.”

      “Huh...Oh, I actually had plans...Onew and I were going to hang out...” Taemin said sheepishly. Jongin's eyes widened and he bit his lip, not liking what he was hearing.

      “Wow...Not even telling us you're gonna ditch us,” Sehun sighed. “What a friend...”

      “Sorry!” Taemin and Onew said in unison.

      “Neither of you need to be sorry. It's fine. Go have fun,” Sehun said, shooing them with his hand. He didn't dare look at Jongin. He didn't want to see the disappointment on his face.

      “Alright. Then we'll be off...” Taemin said.

 

      The group watched the two walk away. Sehun finally turned to Jongin and gave him a sympathetic look. The latter just sighed and leaned against the wall. Lay glanced between the two, trying to read their interactions and figure out what was going on. Finally, Sehun spoke up.

      “So, Lay...Wanna come over to my place?”

      “You sure?”

      “Yeah. We're just going to do homework and play video games probably.”

      “That sounds fun I guess...Yeah, I'll come.”

 

      They started walking away from the auditorium, stopping briefly at each of their lockers before heading towards the school gate.

 

~*~

      Baekhyun piled books into his backpack. Another figure walked up to the locker beside his and began doing the same. Baekhyun finished tetris-ing things into his bag, then glanced up at the other person, shutting his locker gently.

      “How were your classes today?” He asked timidly.

      “Pretty good,” Kris answered. “Yours?”

      “They were alright. I didn't get to sing in choir today...so they're gonna start with me tomorrow.”

      “Is that good or bad?”

      “Bad...I'm always nervous when I have to go first.”

      “I'm sure you'll be fine.”

      “Thanks...So where are you headed now?”

      “Probably just home. You?”

      “Same...Want to go a cafe or something?”

      “Huh?”

      “I mean, if you're free,” Baekhyun mumbled, blushing. “Actually, nevermind. I'm gonna get going.”

      “Wait, I'll come. I don't know any good places, so I'd love to go somewhere with you.”

      “Really!? Great! Then let's go!”

 

      Kris grabbed one last book and shut his locker. The two then walked away, heading out to the courtyard, leading to the school exit.

 

~*~

      As Sehun, Jongin, and Lay were walking towards the gate, Lay noticed a tall figure standing by it. His eyes went wide as he realized who it was, and he sprinted towards the gate, leaving Jongin and Sehun behind.

      “TAO!!!!” He screamed.

 

      Kris and Baekhyun had been nearby when Lay shouted. The blonde looked up in shock and watched him sprint towards the figure. He gasped and turned to Baekhyun, looking apologetic.

      “Sorry, Baekhyun. I gotta go!”

      “What?”

 

      Kris didn't answer. Instead, he started running after Lay, leaving the other boy behind. He followed Lay outside the gate and down two more streets before they both stopped, out of breath. The figure had long since disappeared.

      “What the hell was that?” Kris asked, panting.

      “It was Tao...I know it was...But he disappeared...Literally...”

      “What the hell is going on...?”

      “I don't know, Yifan...But I'm worried about him...What if he's in trouble?”

      “There's nothing we can do until he comes to us,” Kris comforted. “For now, let's just call it a day, ok?”

      “Yeah...You're right...”

 

      The two caught their breath and decided to go home. They both felt bad for ditching their friends, but they were no longer in the mood to hang out with them anyway.


	2. Chapter 2

      Lay forced himself to think about anything but Tao during the following week at school. As a result, he was able to make a number of observations. First, Minseok definitely liked Luhan to some degree, and always wanted to be with him. Second, Kris had apparently blown off the only friend he might have made at the school and said friend was no longer talking to him. Third, Jongin was helplessly in love with Taemin, who didn't seem to notice at all.

 

      Of all those people, the one he felt most compelled to help was Jongin. The boy was far too shy for his own good. There was no way he would be able to handle the Taemin issue by himself. Not only that, but Lay enjoyed hearing about people's love lives. It was an odd interest of his.

 

      That was why he had asked the younger to meet him on the roof after dance class. Jongin nervously followed him, constantly glancing back behind him. Lay half expected him to dart away at the first chance he got. Thankfully, the younger stayed with him through the full trip to the rooftop.

 

      Lay sat down in the middle of the rooftop and patted the spot next to him. Jongin let out a sigh and walked over, sitting beside him. Jongin didn't say anything, so Lay figured it was time for him to speak.

      “Forgive me for being blunt, ok? And you don't have to say anything if you're uncomfortable,” he explained. Jongin nodded. “Alright...So, you like Taemin, don't you?”

 

      Jongin's eyes widened so much it was almost comedic. Lay smiled and patted his back, trying his best to seem welcoming.

      “W-What makes you s-say that?” Jongin asked nervously.

      “Let's just say I'm good at noticing these kinds of things.”

      “W-What if I did happen to like him?”

 

      Jongin didn't know what to make of Lay yet. They'd only just met each other, and while the other seemed nice, Jongin didn't know if he could trust him enough to tell him. The last thing he needed was someone harassing him. Lay simply smiled wider and ruffled his hair.

      “Then it would be up to you to do something if you wanted to.”

      “W-What do you mean?”

      “Listen, Jongin. I know you're really shy, but nothing will happen if you don't tell Taemin how you feel. He doesn't exactly seem to be the best at noticing things.”

      “I can't...” Jongin whispered, biting his lip. Lay sighed and placed his hand on Jongin's back once more.

      “Why is that?”

      “What if he doesn't feel the same? It could ruin our entire friendship...I don't want that.”

      “Do you honestly think Taemin would let your friendship die just because of that? You know he's not that kind of person.”

      “But it'll still hurt if he rejects me...”

      “What if he doesn't? Either way, you'll have my shoulder to lean on, ok?”

 

      Jongin gave Lay a thankful smile, then looked down at his feet. He let out a sigh before speaking up once more.

      “I want to be stronger. I want to talk to people and be sociable...But every time, I choke up and start shaking...” Lay nodded.

      “Take it slowly. It's not something you just get over. Try doing one small social thing each day. I mean, right now you're talking to me, right? You wouldn't normally do that, so there's a good start!”

      “But I'm shaking,” Jongin sighed.

      “Yeah, but you're still talking. I think that's pretty awesome.”

      “I guess...”

 

      Jongin realized he'd just spilled his heart out to Lay, telling him some rather personal things. He wouldn't even tell Sehun a lot of what he'd just said. In that sense, he really had taken quite a big step. Hopefully it hadn't been a step in the wrong direction. Lay seemed trustworthy though.

      “Think about how you are when you're dancing,” Lay continued. “You have that sudden burst of confidence. Try and tap into some of that...Maybe a nickname would help...”

      “A nickname?” Jongin asked, raising his eyebrow.

      “Yeah. That way, when you want to be brave, you can try to act like your confident, dancer self would.”

      “Nicknames seem to be everyone's solution,” Jongin mumbled, not yet convinced.

      “Well, I like having one, I guess.”

 

      Jongin nodded. It was worth a shot at least. Onew and Lay seemed to like having nicknames. Maybe it would help Jongin after all. Or it would be completely meaningless. If nothing else, it would sound cool.

      “So what kind of name are you thinking of?” Lay asked. Jongin hummed and tapped his lip in thought.

      “How about Kai?” Lay nodded rapidly.

      “That sounds great! So Jongin, let's slowly turn you into the confident Kai!”

 

      Jongin nodded, finally smiling. After, the two talked a bit more about various topics, then parted and went their separate ways. Jongin stopped by his locker and noticed Baekhyun a few lockers away, piling books into his backpack. As he was doing so, a pencil pouch fell out of his locker and all the contents spilled on the floor. Jongin bent down and started helping Baekhyun gather everything up. He stopped when he picked up foundation and eyeliner. He stared at them curiously until Baekhyun ripped them nervously out of his hands, causing Jongin to jump.

      “Sorry...” Baekhyun mumbled. “Please don't tell anyone.” He got up and started to walk away.

      “I won't tell,” Jongin called after him. “But, um...Why do you have that stuff?” Baekhyun turned and looked at him with disheartened eyes. “Actually, nevermind. I'm sorry for prying.” This time Jongin tried to leave, but Baekhyun stopped him.

      “It's fine. I'll tell you,” he sighed. Jongin walked back over to Baekhyun timidly. “When I have this on,” Baekhyun continued, “I feel like I become someone else...someone better. I feel like I'm more confident and I just feel right...But at the same time, if people find out, they harass me and call me less than pleasant things...so the thing that's supposed to make me feel amazing about myself makes me feel like shit...so I usually try to hide it...But I still like it, you know?”

 

      Jongin nodded. Even Baekhyun, who was known throughout the school for his talent as a singer, had insecurities and things he wanted to hide.

      “I understand,” Jongin stated. “I want to be more confident too...”

      “I dunno if eyeliner will help you,” Baekhyun joked.

      “Probably not,” Jongin agreed. “Um...Can I see what you look like with it on?”

      “It's not that impressive...”

      “Please?” Jongin asked timidly. Baekhyun sighed and nodded.

      “Fine.”

 

      He pulled out his compact mirror and began delicately and perfectly framing his eyes. He must have done it quite often because his hand hardly shook and didn't make even the slightest mistake. When he was done, he glanced up at Jongin, and the latter was amazed. Baekhyun looked like a completely different person. There was a level of intensity to his stare now, but he also looked beautiful.

      “You look incredible!” Jongin exclaimed. Baekhyun blushed, but eventually smiled shyly.

      “Thanks...Jongin, right?”

      “Ah, call me Kai,” the younger corrected.

      “Kai? Why that name?”

      “I guess you could say it's my eyeliner?”

 

      Baekhyun took a moment to understand what he meant, then smiled and nodded. The two left their lockers together and parted at the school gate.

 

~*~

      Kyungsoo and Jongdae walked hand in hand along the dark streets. They both attended the same cram school, despite being a grade apart from each other in school. It was actually how they'd become so close to each other and started dating.

      “I wish it wasn't so dark around here,” Kyungsoo sighed. “I hate walking home in the dark...”

      “Should I walk you the rest of the way home?” Jongdae offered.

      “Then you'd be out in the dark for a long time and I'd be just as worried.”

      “I don't mind. If you'll feel safer with me, I'll walk you home.”

      “Thanks...But I'm ok. There are more lights in my neighborhood, so I'll be fine once I get there.”

      “Alright. But if you get scared or something happens, call me immediately.”

      “I'd rather call 911...” Kyungsoo teased. “But I'd call you next.”

      “Deal.”

 

      Kyungsoo sighed and leaned on Jongdae's shoulder. They had reached the place where they went separate ways much faster than he had wanted. Jongdae pulled him close and hugged him for a rather long time.

 

      When Jongdae loosened his arms on Kyungsoo, the younger stepped back enough to look him in the face. Jongdae timidly kissed Kyungsoo's lips. It was a short peck, but both were left blushing. They had been dating for a couple of months, but their relationship was progressing pretty slowly. It was nice to take things slowly though, especially since even a simple kiss left them flustered.

 

      They were about to part when a growl resounded through the air. Both immediately clung to each other, frozen in fear. They glanced around as three large, beast-like figures circled them. As the beasts came closer, they realized they were giant wolves, their fur so dark it was almost as if they were shadows. The only things that stood out were their glowing, yellow eyes and their sharp, enormous fangs.

 

      Jongdae heard Kyungsoo whimper into his chest. They were both shaking so badly it was amazing they hadn't lost their footing yet. The wolves suddenly lunged at them, teeth ready to tear into flesh. All Jongdae could do was cower and scream at the top of his lungs.

      “NOOOOOOO!!!!”

 

~*~

      Minseok was trying his best to befriend Luhan. He had found out that they had a lot in common. Still, there were times when Luhan would be extremely unresponsive and distant, and Minseok just couldn't figure out why. Was he doing something wrong?

 

      His nerves got the better of him, so he decided to ask Lay after dance class. The junior was surprised, to say the least. He seemed to be giving out a lot of advice these days.

      “So...About Luhan...” Minseok started.

      “What about him?” Lay asked curiously.

      “Is he always this on and off with friendships?”

      “Um...I'm not sure I follow you...”

      “Well, there are days where we get along great and he's really social, then other days where he won't even say hi to me.”

      “Well, maybe he just needs to be alone. Ever thought of that?”

      “Yeah, and I leave him alone...I'm just starting to think it's me...I mean, I've seen him talking happily with other people after ignoring me, so...”

      “Hmmm...That is strange for Luhan. He's usually equally nice to everyone...Maybe you're a special case...”

      “Great,” Minseok groaned. “So he hates me...”

      “I dunno about that. I think he likes you just fine...He's just a bit wary, that's all.”

      “I don't get it.”

      “You have friends and you have acquaintances, right? Would you consider Luhan a friend or an acquaintance?”

      “I consider him a friend...”

      “You tell friends more than you tell acquaintances, right? There's a deeper level of trust. Luhan's probably hesitating. That's all.”

      “You think?”

      “Mhm.”

      “But how would you know?”

      “I know Luhan pretty well. Just keep doing what you're doing. He'll come around.”

      “I'll try...” Minseok sighed.

      “He likes taro bubble tea,” Lay hinted.

      “Oh really?”

      “Yeah. So if you know any good places, take him. He's swayed by bubble tea and coffee.”

      “Bubble tea and coffee...” Minseok repeated, deep in thought. “Thanks, Lay! You're the best!”

 

      With that, Minseok ran off to go find Luhan. Lay sighed and shook his head. That was the second bit of advice he had given someone. He really needed to start charging for his sessions. He'd never have to worry about lunch money again.

 

~*~

      With Lay's constant advice and even a word or two from Sehun, Jongin had finally gained enough courage to tell Taemin how he felt. Not to say he was any less nervous or scared, but keeping his feelings cooped up was starting to weigh down on him.

 

      He had planned to do it after dance class. Lay and Sehun knew it was going to be happening, so they made sure to leave rather early so that Jongin and Taemin could be left alone. Jongin held Taemin back in the room and they waited until everyone had cleared the area. When they were alone, Taemin was the first to talk.

      “What did you need?” He asked gently.

      “Um...” Jongin started. “Well, uh...”

      “Is everything ok?”

      “Yeah...Everything's fine...It's just...” Jongin took a deep breath before finally deciding to take the plunge. “You remember what you told me a few weeks ago? That night when we were at Sehun's?”

      “Yeah...” Taemin said cautiously. “What about it?”

      “Well...Um...I have something to tell you too.”

      “What's that?”

      “I'm gay...And there's someone I like,” Jongin explained. Taemin's eyes went wide.

      “So...Did you want to talk to me about it? I can try and help you...give you advice...” He offered. Jongin sighed and shook his head.

      “It's not like that...The one I like...is you, Taemin...”

 

      Jongin kept his eyes locked onto the floor in front of him. He was way too afraid to see the look on Taemin's face. The silence was enough for him to know that Taemin didn't feel the same. It was enough for Jongin to realize he had ruined everything.

      “Oh...” Taemin finally muttered.


	3. Chapter 3

      Jongdae sat beside a bed surrounded by various machinery. The walls were cold stone, and the room was dimly lit, mainly from the lights on the machinery. Upon the bed rested a badly injured, unconscious boy. The machinery was the only thing keeping him alive. Jongdae held the boy's hand and stifled sobs.

      “I'm so sorry, Kyungsoo...I'm so sorry...”

 

      The memories of that night replayed vividly in his mind. There were so many things that he could have done, and so many that he _should_ have done. But instead, he'd panicked and ended up in this place, with Kyungsoo in this state.

 

~*~

      As the beast lunged at the two helpless students, a flash of light shot out from Jongdae's body. Shrill cries resounded as the smell of burnt flesh filled the air. When Jongdae dared to open his eyes again, he saw that the wolves were reduced to clouds of black dust.

 

      A small streak of lightning danced up Jongdae's arm, dissipating once it reached his shoulder. Jongdae flailed his arm nervously, wondering why the lightning hadn't even hurt him. It was then that he realized Kyungsoo had gone limp in his arms.

 

      He turned the boy over and gasped. Burns covered his upper body and he wasn't breathing. Jongdae began to panic, pushing on his chest and lightly hitting his cheek, trying to wake him up. There was no response.

 

      Tears welled in Jongdae's eyes and he ran through a list of options for what to do next. He needed to call for an ambulance. He had no idea how to treat Kyungsoo, so this was the smartest option. Would they make it in time though? As Jongdae scrambled for his phone, a cloaked figure approached him from behind.

      “He's dying,” the tall figure spoke in a chilling, raspy voice. Jongdae turned to look at him, teary-eyed and desperate.

      “What do I do? Help me, please!”

      “I can help...but it will come at a price,” the man said darkly.

 

      Jongdae paused and bit his lip. This man looked extremely dangerous and untrustworthy. Kyungsoo was dying though, and an ambulance wouldn't make it on time. This was his only option. He held Kyungsoo close to his chest, then nodded dejectedly.

      “Please, just help him.”

 

      The man's laugh echoed through the air as they were all transported to a dark, stone room. Medical supplies were rapidly brought into the room and a team of doctors rushed in. Kyungsoo was taken from Jongdae's arms and the doctors set to work on reviving him. As Kyungsoo's condition stabilized, a large, clammy hand landed on Jongdae's shoulder. He closed his eyes, knowing his fate with the man was sealed. Was this really the right choice?

 

~*~

      Kyungsoo had stabilized, but nothing else had changed. He was still gravely injured and had yet to awaken. The doctors had mentioned damage to his nervous system and third degree burns. Jongdae knew now that this was his own fault.

 

      He'd somehow sent out the jolt that had killed the wolves and injured Kyungsoo. He wasn't sure how, but the robed man was slowly teaching him to control it, though he was forced to use his powers to the man's bidding in return. No matter which way Jongdae looked at the situation, he knew the man was up to no good. He had really messed up.

 

      Another person entered the room, leaning against the wall. It was a tall boy with raven colored hair. Something seemed off about him, but Jongdae could never really put his finger on just what it was. He knew very little about him, actually. Just that his name was Tao and he worked for the cloaked man as well.

      “He'll be here soon,” Tao stated.

 

      Jongdae sighed and nodded. That meant the man in the black robe was coming. This didn't bode well at all. As if on cue, the man appeared. He stared between the two, his gaze finally settling on Tao.

      “Tao, I sent you out to scout for other awakened powers, did I not? Give me your report.”

      “There's at least one more active power at the school. I couldn't confirm who held it though. I was...spotted, and had to leave.”

      “Only one? Could you sense anything else?”

      “I did sense a lot of dormant power. I think it's safe to say there are other guardians at the school.”

      “I see. Good work.” The man then turned to Jongdae. “How is your power coming along?”

      “Well enough, sir,” Jongdae responded weakly. “I can control it now.”

      “Good. Be sure to stay in perfect shape. We'll be making our move soon.”

      “Yes, sir,” the two boys responded.

 

      With that, the cloaked man left the room, Tao following behind. Jongdae was left alone once again to wallow in self-hatred and regret.

 

~*~

      Baekhyun shoved book after book into his backpack while ignoring Kris at his side. The other was begging to talk to him, but Baekhyun wasn't keen on doing that. Ever since Kris had run off on Baekhyun to follow Lay, the younger hadn't wanted to talk to him.

 

      Baekhyun wasn't angry. At first he had been, but now it was different. It was more that he was embarrassed and hurt. He didn't make friends easily and he'd hoped to find one in Kris, but getting dumped on his face had hurt.

 

      Kris had explained that it was urgent and that he was sorry, and Baekhyun believed him, but that didn't mean he wasn't still hurt from what happened. He wasn't at all confident in himself, and now he had the constant creeping doubt that Kris hated him or was simply toying with him. He wouldn't be trying to reconcile if he felt that way though, right?

      “Baekhyun, please...Just listen to me,” Kris begged. “Something was going on with another exchange student Lay and I know. We're both really worried about him and we happened to see him. Why are you so upset about this?”

      “I'm not upset,” Baekhyun huffed.

      “Bullshit,” Kris snapped. Baekhyun jumped and cringed at the harsh tone. “Sorry...”

      “It's alright...” Baekhyun finally sighed. “I'm sorry too...I'm not angry anymore, ok? I just...didn't know how to approach you after that...”

      “But I'm approaching you...”

      “Still, I wasn't sure how to react...Just forget it, ok? I'm not mad at you.”

      “But...Are you ok?”

      “I guess,” Baekhyun shrugged.

      “Why can't you tell me what's wrong?” Kris whined.

      “It's nothing. It's my own personal issue, ok?”

      “So...we're cool then?” Kris asked.

      “We're cool if you want us to be cool,” Baekhyun replied curtly.

      “That wasn't what I meant...but I want us to be cool.”

      “Then we're cool,” Baekhyun mumbled.

 

      He hated himself for putting Kris through his nervous head games. He didn't even mean to jerk Kris around. Baekhyun just had a really hard time believing that anyone would try so hard to be with him. Kris had other friends like Lay and the guy they ran after. He didn't need Baekhyun around. Still, if he kept jerking Kris around like this, he would leave for sure. Either way, Baekhyun figured he was fighting a losing battle, so he might as well just go with the flow while he could.

      “So would you like to go out today then?” Kris asked. Baekhyun cocked his head to the side.

      “Go where?”

      “Wasn't there a cafe or something you were gonna show me?”

      “Oh...Yeah...We can go there if you want...”

      “Lead the way,” Kris said with a smile.

 

      Baekhyun nodded, shoving one last thing in his backpack. As he was slinging it over his shoulder, a pouch fell out and skidded across the floor. He cursed himself for dropping it again, in front of Kris to boot. He really needed to keep better track of his makeup pouch.

 

      To make matters worse, it landed right next to a football jock, one who was notorious for harassing Baekhyun. This day was just a constant uphill battle. The jock picked up the pouch, knowing who had dropped it, and opened it, smirking at the contents.

      “Give it back,” Baekhyun sighed. Kris noted the change in Baekhyun's attitude and eyed the jock warily.

      “Still girling it up, pretty boy?” The jock asked, placing his hand on the locker and towering over Baekhyun.

      “Just give me the pouch back,” Baekhyun pleaded, not wanting Kris to find out about the inside contents.

      “Why? Gonna put on a show tonight for someone? Gotta wow them with the makeup cuz that's the only way they'd be impressed with you and get it up? Do you even have anything down there to show off?”

      “Shut up! Just give me the stupid pouch!” Baekhyun snapped.

 

      He grabbed at it, but the jock held it high above his head, laughing and taunting him. A giant hand suddenly gripped his wrist and forced it to a halt.

      “Give him the pouch,” Kris growled. Baekhyun stared at him with wide eyes and the jock raised a brow.

      “What? You the one who's gonna fuck the little princess tonight?”

      “No. I'm his friend and I'm getting sick of you, that's all. Give him the pouch and move on. Isn't there a cheerleader waiting for you in the locker room?”

      “Shut up, asshole!”

      “Doesn't feel so great to be on the receiving end, does it?” Kris growled. “Now give him the pouch, and go play with your other fuckhead friends.”

      “You better watch your back, fucker!” The jock warned.

 

      He threw the pouch at Baekhyun, who failed to catch it, being the uncoordinated klutz that he was. Kris let go of the jock, who stomped off, motioning for his friends to follow him. Baekhyun heaved out a deep sigh and slid down against the lockers, planting his face in between his knees. What was he supposed to say now?

 

      Kris grabbed the pouch off the ground and looked sympathetically at Baekhyun. He sat down next to him and nudged him a bit with his elbow. Still, Baekhyun didn't budge. Kris balanced the pouch on Baekhyun's head then sighed.

      “Does that cafe have cake or sweets or something?”

      “Yeah, why?” Baekhyun asked, his voice muffled from his legs.

      “Cuz assholes piss me off and now I want cake.”

      “You want cake when you get pissed off?” Baekhyun asked, finally lifting his head. Kris could see the remnant of a tear streak on his cheek.

      “No. I want cake so I can feel better. Don't you?”

      “I guess...You sure you still want to go with the 'princess.'”

      “First off, if you want to be a princess, you be a fucking princess, I'm not gonna stop you. Second off, if you hate being called that, don't call yourself that. I can tell you hate the name. Third, whether you like makeup or boys doesn't really concern me. It's your thing and I'll respect that. I just wanted to get to know you better and go to this cafe.”

 

      Baekhyun stared at Kris, no clear expression on his face. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't stop his heart from fluttering at his words. Kris had literally said everything that Baekhyun had wanted to hear for a long time. Did Kris actually accept the freak that he was? He sure as hell hoped so.

      “Yeah...Let's go to the cafe,” Baekhyun whispered, a small smile breaking out onto his face.

 

      He grabbed the pouch off of his head. Kris got to his feet and held his hand out to Baekhyun. The latter grabbed it and was pulled to his feet. He slung his backpack over his shoulder once more, and the two were off to the cafe.

 

~*~

      “The one I like...is you, Taemin.”

      “Oh...”

 

      The silence was deafening, and Jongin thought he was going to go insane. This had been a horrible idea. How had he even convinced himself to tell Taemin? He'd fallen prey to peer pressure and encouragement and look where it had landed him now. As Jongin mentally berated himself, Taemin finally collected himself.

      “Thank you, Jongin,” he said gently. “Your feelings mean a lot to me.” Jongin internally rolled his eyes. Sure they did. “They really do...It's just...I don't feel that way about you...and there's someone else that I like...”

      “I see...” Jongin answered flatly. Rejection was hurting a lot more than he thought it would.

      “I don't want you to think I hate you though, ok?” Taemin continued, grasping at Jongin's hands. “You're my best friend and like my brother. I love you a lot. I really do...Just not _that_ kind of love...”

 

      Jongin nodded, no longer knowing what to say. He couldn't be the confident Kai that Lay wanted him to be. He couldn't handle this with grace right now. He wanted to run away and hide. He didn't want to hear Taemin sweet talk him, even if the other meant well. Jongin wanted to be alone.

 

      He backed away from Taemin, his hands sliding out of the other's grip. Taemin looked at him worriedly, and Jongin felt a twinge of guilt. He knew Taemin meant well and really just wanted him to be ok, but Jongin was anything but ok right now. He was about to break down. He needed to be alone.

 

      He closed his eyes, wishing nothing more than to be by himself, away from Taemin. He expected the latter to frantically start trying to comfort him, but no comfort ever came. Jongin wondered if Taemin had left him behind and gone home. That would be a fitting end to a disastrous event.

 

      He opened his eyes and gasped when he realized he was no longer in front of Taemin, nor in the school. He had no idea where he was, but it looked like some sort of alley. How had he gotten here? There was no way he could be here. He must have passed out from shock and this was a dream.

 

      He pinched himself several times, but it was no dream. Jongin was really in some alleyway. He couldn't even begin to fathom how he had gotten there. He couldn't think about anything anymore. He was too tired, shocked, and angry at himself to even begin to understand what had happened. He walked around until he found a street he recognized, then started the long journey home.

 

      When he reached his house, the sun was setting and Sehun was waiting there, glancing around. As soon as he spotted Jongin, he ran over, grabbing his shoulders and staring him straight in the eyes.

      “What the hell happened!?” Sehun practically shouted. His tone was more worried than angry though.

      “What?” Jongin asked.

 

      He was so tired from everything that had happened, he couldn't even comprehend why Sehun was there yelling at him. The latter sighed and decided to take a calmer approach.

      “What happened? You and Taemin stayed behind and the next thing I know, Taemin's calling me practically in tears because you literally disappeared right in front of him.”

      “He cried?”

      “Yes, but that's beside the point. What happened!? You aren't a magician Jongin. How did you just completely leave campus in a split second?”

      “I don't know,” Jongin groaned. “I closed my eyes and the next thing I knew, I was in an alley across town. I didn't move a muscle...”

      “What the hell...That's impossible...”

      “But it's the truth,” Jongin sighed. “Now if you don't mind, I'm exhausted, so I'm going to bed.”

      “Wait, I'm staying with you tonight.”

      “Why?” Jongin whined.

      “To make sure you're ok and that you don't phase through the floor and get stuck or some weird shit!”

      “Whatever,” Jongin yawned, ignoring Sehun and heading into his house.

 

      Sehun sighed, at a loss of what to think. Honestly, when Taemin had called him frantic and crying, saying Jongin had just vanished, Sehun thought stress had just fried his brain. Now that Jongin confirmed his story, it was either some sick joke or the real deal. Sehun knew Jongin would never pull a prank like that either. So what on earth was happening?

 

      Sehun decided to stop trying to decipher the phenomenon. Instead, he pulled out his phone and dialed Taemin's number.

      “Hello?” The older answered, voice shaky. He must have been crying again.

      “Jongin came home,” Sehun explained.

      “What!? Is is he ok? Was he hurt at all?”

      “He was fine...Just really tired.”

      “I'm coming over there now!”  
      “I don't think that's a good idea,” Sehun intervened.

      “Why?”

      “He told you he liked you, right?”

      “So...you knew?”

      “Everyone knew but you, Taemin,” Sehun sighed. “I take it you turned him down?”

      “Yeah...” Taemin mumbled guiltily.

      “It's alright. You can't force yourself to like someone. Look, I doubt he's mad at you, but I think he's pretty emotionally drained right now and seeing you might not help. Just let him cool off for the night. I'll stay with him and make sure he's ok.”

      “Alright...Thanks, Sehun.”

      “Don't thank me. I haven't really done anything.”

      “Still...Thanks. Take care of him for me.”

      “Yep.”

 

      Sehun hung up the phone and sighed once more. He headed into Jongin's house and up the stairs to the boy's room. When he went inside, he found him laying face down on his bed. He walked over to the bed and sat down on the floor, leaning against the side.

      “You ok?” He asked softly. Jongin just shrugged and gave a small grunt. “You wanna talk about it?”

      “I got turned down,” Jongin sighed, rolling on his side to face the back of Sehun's head. The younger turned and looked at him.

      “So how are you holding up?”

      “I was crying until you came into my room.”

      “Why did you stop?”

      “Because I don't need you harassing me about it.”

      “Woah, ok, I'm an asshole but I'm not THAT much of an asshole. Have a little faith!”

      “You won't judge?”

      “I came here to make sure you're ok, not to judge you. Cry if you need to, dammit.”

 

      Jongin burst out into tears, hiding his face in his pillow once more. Sehun sat on the bed beside the crying boy and rubbed his back, trying to whisper soothing words. It was a long time before Jongin finally stopped crying. By then, he pretty much passed out, completely exhausted. Sehun laid down next to him, more or less cuddling him since there wasn't much room. Jongin didn't seem to mind and gradually relaxed against Sehun. The younger fell asleep shortly after.

 

      Outside the house, three figures stared into the window from the roof of the neighboring house. The hooded man smirked then gave Jongdae and Tao a stern look.

      “Seems another has awoken. You were right, Tao. There is a lot of dormant power hiding at the school. Prepare yourselves. Tomorrow, we set everything in motion.”

      “Yes sir!” The two exclaimed.


	4. Chapter 4

      Jongin woke up exhausted the following day, as if he hadn't slept at all. His head still ached, though it was no longer pounding like it had been when he had returned home. Sehun forced him to get out of bed and eat breakfast. Frankly, Jongin would have been perfectly fine with skipping school that day because of how bad he felt. He was dreading seeing Taemin as well. How was he supposed to act after yesterday? Could things ever return to normal?

 

      Sehun constantly reassured him that everything would be fine, but Jongin couldn't really believe it. Even if Taemin could act as if nothing had happened, Jongin couldn't. He was still depressed and now he was scared to be in the same room as Taemin. Still, Sehun wasn't going to let him skip.

 

      The day progressed slowly as usual. Finally, it was time for dance class. Jongin had never dreaded that class before, but now it was like his worst nightmare. He sat down in the usual spot with Sehun. Minseok was already there, but Lay and Taemin had yet to arrive. When Taemin did arrive, he made brief eye contact with Jongin before quickly looking away and sitting beside Sehun. Of course there was no way he would act normal around Jongin. Sehun grimaced at Taemin's reaction. He had hoped the older boy would handle the situation better than Jongin.

 

      Sehun was about to instigate a conversation when he was cut off by a loud explosion. The entire room went silent and everyone sat in horror, wondering what was going on. More explosions sounded throughout the building and a couple of students screamed. The ground rumbled and the student's huddled close together.

 

      Finally, a large creature burst through the wall, sending rubble everywhere. Screams resounded through the room as a giant wolf walked through the newly made hole, teeth bared and eyes glowing. It made its way through the dance studio, seemingly oblivious to the scrambling students. Its eyes were focused on only one person. Jongin.

 

      It lunged at the group and they separated to avoid the attack. Sehun and Jongin fell to one side of the room while Minseok and Taemin rushed to the other side. The monster turned, ignoring Taemin and Minseok, and began closing the distance between itself and Jongin. Sehun and Jongin backed away, until they met with the wall. The monster raised its arm, claws extended and ready to tear through flesh.

 

      Sehun cussed and whimpered, clinging to Jongin. The latter's eyes darted between the beast, Sehun, and the other side of the room. He then had an idea. He grabbed on to Sehun and closed his eyes, visualizing where he wanted to go. If he had instantly disappeared and reappeared somewhere else the day before, he could do it again, right? He certainly hoped so.

 

      He closed his eyes and concentrated. He felt weightless for a split second, then all returned to normal. When he opened his eyes, he was near the entrance, only a few feet from Taemin and Minseok. He'd managed to take Sehun with him too. The younger boy seemed extremely confused, but he didn't bother to question Jongin as the beast let out a deep growl.

      “We need to go!” Sehun shouted.

 

      They bolted out the door, the beast trailing behind them. Glancing outside the windows, they saw more creatures attacking the students and wreaking havoc on the school. In addition to wolves like the one that had attacked them, other creatures roamed the premises as well. Small, impish creatures were harassing students, clawing at them. From the air, giant black birds covered in blue flames hurled massive fireballs down at the school.

      “What the hell is going on!?” Sehun gasped, horrified. Jongin shook his head, eyes wide in horror.

      “We can figure that out later when we AREN'T in the middle of this hell,” Minseok snapped. “We need to get out of here!”

      “Wait!” Taemin exclaimed. “What about the others? Onew was in choir...Lay's not here either...”

      “Shit...Luhan's in choir too...” Minseok muttered. “We need to get them!”

 

      Before Sehun and Jongin could protest, the two had rushed off in the direction of the choir room. Sehun sighed and motioned for Jongin to follow. There wasn't really any other place to go and getting separated from the others definitely wasn't going to end well.

 

~*~

      Lay had been casually chatting with Kris before heading to dance practice. The two had math class together during last period, so Lay usually stayed behind to talk. Once the ground started to rumble and explosions sounded in the distance, the two naturally clung to each other, nervously looking around.

      “What's going on?” Kris whispered.

      “Not sure...Stay close, ok?”

      “Yeah...”

 

      One of the walls came crumbling down as a black bird burst through. Students screamed, pushing and shoving to get out of the room. Lay and Kris stood frozen in fear. The beast's eyes were focused on Lay.

      “It's staring at you,” Kris breathed. Lay gulped.

      “I noticed...”

 

      The bird opened its mouth and began inhaling. Heat waves started to radiate off of it and Lay gasped, realizing that it was getting ready to attack. He gripped at Kris's wrist and charged out the door, dragging the other behind him. Immediately following, the beast let out a burst of flame, incinerating everything in its path.

 

      Kris and Lay ran down the hallway, dodging students and obstacles. A scream echoed from behind them and Kris stopped to look for the source, but Lay tugged him forward.

      “There's nothing we can do! We need to go!” Lay urged.

      “But...”

      “Kris, please! We can't fight them!”

      “I know...” Kris choked out, biting his lip. “But still...What's going on?”

      “I don't know,” Lay sighed. “It's not safe here though...”

      “What about the others?” Kris asked. “We can't leave them here!”

      “Luhan is in choir...and my friends are in the dance studio...They're close to each other.”

      “Baekhyun is in choir too,” Kris added. “Can we go meet up with them?”

      “It's gonna be dangerous,” Lay warned. “But I want to make sure they're ok as well.”

      “Then let's go.”

 

      The two ran off in silence, determined to make it to the choir room. They could only hope their friends were still alive.

 

~*~

      When Taemin and Minseok reached the choir room, it was already ablaze, a few students clambering out of the fire and smoke. They tried to squint through the haze and search for their friends, but it was pointless. Sehun and Jongin arrived just as two figures came hobbling into view.

 

      As the figures came closer, the group realized it was Baekhyun and Luhan. The latter's arm was slung over Baekhyun's shoulder as he limped forward. They were both coughing uncontrollably. Minseok ran over and grabbed Luhan's other arm and helped him along. They made their way to the hallway wall and sat down slowly on the ground.

      “His leg is burned,” Baekhyun managed to state in between bouts of coughing.

 

      Minseok turned Luhan's leg gently, revealing a massive burn on the back of his calf. He gulped, the sight making him queasy. This wasn't something they were going to be able to take care of on there own. As Minseok ran through their list of options, another voice called out to them.

      “Hey! You guys ok?” Lay shouted, running towards them with Kris close behind.

      “Lay!” Minseok gasped. “Luhan's hurt!”

 

      Lay instantly joined Minseok's side and began inspecting Luhan's leg. He grimaced at the sight. Kris walked over to them, but was too afraid to look at Luhan's leg, so he decided to check on Baekhyun, who was still having a coughing fit. He rubbed the other's back awkwardly, wishing he could do something to help. Finally, Baekhyun managed to stop.

 

      Lay let out one last sigh before resolving himself. He placed his hand over Luhan's injured leg and a green glow emanated from it. Soon, the burn began to recede. The others stared at Lay in disbelief. When Lay had finished healing the wound, Sehun finally broke the silence.

      “What the hell is going on? First, Jongin disappears in front of Taemin, then the school gets attacked by monsters, and now Lay can heal!?”

      “Jongin disappeared?” Lay asked, staring at the quiet dancer. He received a small nod in response.

      “So what's the deal?” Sehun urged.

      “Now isn't really the best time to explain,” Lay sighed. “Once we're out of here alive, I'll tell you, ok?”

 

      Luhan let out a few coughs and groaned. Minseok rubbed his back and the other boy leaned tiredly against him.

      “Onew's still in there...” Luhan muttered weakly.

 

      Without even bothering to think of the consequences, Taemin bolted into the room. The others called after him, trying to stop him, but it was no use. Jongin sighed and decided to go in after Taemin. Before he was out of sight, Lay called to him.

      “Jongin! Be careful, alright? Please don't be reckless with your power...” Jongin turned and nodded at him before dashing into the flaming room.

 

      Lay and Minseok helped Luhan to his feet and Kris did the same for Baekhyun. They glanced around, trying to figure out which path was safe. None of the paths seemed very promising.

 

      Suddenly, the ceiling above them came crumbling down, revealing one of the giant, fire breathing birds. The group stared, frozen in horror, as the bird began inhaling air and preparing for another attack. Lay was the first to snap out of his fearful stupor, and he shouted at the others.

      “Get out of the way! Run!”

 

      The bird launched the fireball at them, and the group separated to avoid it. Lay, Luhan, and Minseok ran to the right, while Kris, Baekhyun, and Sehun ran to the left. The bird set its sights on Lay, heading right.

 

      There was no time to relax for the others though. Soon, imps and wolves were swarming around them. They had to keep moving if they wanted to live.

      “Let's try to get to the courtyard!” Kris shouted. “We need to get out of the school!”

      “What about the others!?” Sehun asked.

      “We'll have to hope they make it out alive,” Kris sighed.

 

      Sehun grimaced and Baekhyun gulped back tears. This couldn't have been happening.

 

~*~

      The choir room was filling with fire and smoke at an alarming rate. Jongin could barely breathe, but he tried to ignore it and stay close to Taemin. As they ventured further into the room, they heard the faint sound of coughing. They followed the noise, dodging rubble and flames. Finally, they saw a figure kneeling on the ground in front of them.

      “ONEW!” Taemin screamed, breaking into a fit of coughs immediately afterward. Onew looked up weakly.

      “Taemin!? What on earth are you doing here?”

      “We came to get you! Are you ok? Are you hurt?”

      “I'm ok. Just really dizzy.”

      “We need to get out of here...Can you stand?” Taemin asked.

 

      He tried to help Onew to his feet, but the latter staggered and fell back onto his knees. Taemin gripped at his arms, supporting him.

      “You've inhaled too much smoke,” Taemin groaned. “Jongin, can you help me carry him out?”

      “We'll never make it,” Jongin exclaimed as a beam of flaming wood crashed down beside them. “Just hold on to me, ok? I'm gonna try something.”

 

      Taemin looked at him warily, but did as he told, not having any other option. Jongin grabbed onto Onew and closed his eyes. He envisioned a place outside of the smoke, a part of the school that he hoped would be safe.

 

      Soon, he felt the same feeling as before. His body became light and the heat around him dissipated. When he opened his eyes, Taemin and Onew were beside him in an empty hallway. He sighed in relief, only to be overcome by a massive headache. He felt lethargic and like heavy weights were attached to each of his limbs. Was this why Lay had warned him to not to be reckless with his power?

 

      Jongin clutched his head and groaned. Taemin and Onew both came closer to him, their hands on his back, rubbing it comfortingly. He could vaguely hear them asking him if he was ok, but their voices were becoming more distant. Jongin tried to stay conscious, but he was fading fast as his headache grew worse and worse.

 

      Finally, he collapsed. Onew caught him before he hit the ground. Taemin called out to Jongin, frantically shaking him and trying to wake him up. Onew placed his hand on Taemin's shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze.

      “It's ok. He's just unconscious. What did he do though? How did we get here?”

      “I don't know, honestly,” Taemin sighed. “All I know is that he and Lay have these weird powers...”

 

      Onew was at a loss for words for a moment, trying to figure out whether this was real or a dream. As another explosion rumbled in the distance, he realized that it was very real, and they didn't have time to sit around.

      “We need to get somewhere safe,” Onew urged.

 

      Taemin nodded and let out another sigh, trying to find somewhere they could hide. Onew started to pick Jongin the rest of the way up so he could carry him to safety, but before he could, the roof came crumbling down on top of them, burying the three.

 

~*~

      The whole city was in a state of disarray. Beasts were tearing everything apart. As they continued their destructive rampage, a red-headed boy ran down the street. The beasts lunged at him, but each time, they were pushed away with a blast of water. The boy wasn't the least bit fazed by their attacks and kept making his way to the center of the chaos, the school.

      “Dammit! What's going on!? Why are they attacking the school? They've been so silent up until now!”

 

      As he grumbled to himself, more monsters charged at him. This time, he stopped in his tracks and focused the water around him, batting all the monsters away simultaneously. Some of the beasts recovered and tried to slash at him with their claws, but he created watery shields to protect himself. When he had cleared his path, he started heading towards the school once more.

      “Where are you when I need you, Yeol!?” He groaned. Finally, he saw the school gate in the distance and let out a sigh of relief. “I just hope I'm not too late!”


	5. Chapter 5

     Tao and Jongdae stood on the rooftop of a nearby building, watching as the demons destroyed the school. Tao stared, void of any emotion, but Jongdae couldn't bear to watch. He wished he'd never been forced into this hell.

     “You knew it would come to this,” Tao said darkly. Jongdae bit his lip. “Just stay by me. I'm the only one that can sense their powers.” Jongdae swallowed hard to prevent himself from throwing up, then nodded.

     “I understand,” he weakly stated.

     “Then let's go.”

 

     With that, the two jumped down from the rooftop and made their way to the school.

 

~*~

     Lay, Minseok, and Luhan had run quite a distance from the choir room. Somehow, they'd managed to lose the beast that was chasing them. When they reached a quiet corner of the school, they slowed down and finally took a chance to catch their breath.

     “Do you think the others are ok?” Luhan asked between pants.

     “I'm sure they're fine,” Lay soothed. “They're smart enough to keep moving and not just stand there and wait to be attacked.”

     “So what do we do?” Minseok asked nervously.

     “We need to get out of the school!” Luhan exclaimed, fear apparent in his voice.

     “Well, yeah, but how?” Minseok whined.

     “We just need to keep heading towards the school gate,” Lay sighed. “No matter how many detours and back routes we have to take in the process.”

 

     The two nodded and regained some of their composure. As they were about to set off again, the wall crumbled down behind them and a wolf appeared, separating Minseok and Luhan from Lay. The beast seemed only to be interested in the latter. Lay briefly glanced at Minseok and Luhan, face grave and eyes unwavering. He nodded slightly, then turned to run away, the beast following after him. Luhan started forward, as if he was going to chase after the beast and Lay, but Minseok grabbed his arm and pulled him in the opposite direction.

 

~*~

     Kris, Baekhyun, and Sehun made their way cautiously through the building. Finally, they made it to the courtyard. It was overflowing with struggling students and raging monsters. Sehun gulped and Baekhyun inched closer to Kris, gripping onto his hand so hard his knuckles were white. Kris was alarmed at first, but when he felt Baekhyun trembling beside him, he gave his hand a comforting squeeze and continued to hold onto it.

 

     They started forward, pushing and shoving past students and dodging monsters as needed. One rather large group of students swarmed past them, knocking the group off balance. Kris felt Baekhyun's hand leave his own and he quickly fought to regain his footing amid the frantic students. He glanced around, trying to find Baekhyun, but the latter was nowhere to be seen.

     “Kris! What's wrong?” Sehun asked, quickly returning to his side.

     “I can't find Baekhyun.”

     “He was here just a second ago...”

     “I know, but now he's gone. We have to find him!”

 

     Kris shoved past the rest of the students, glancing around the courtyard for any sign of Baekhyun. He then noticed a girl cowering in fear before a wolf that ready to tear her apart. Kris couldn't bear to watch that happen. He looked around and found a large branch. He grabbed it and started charging after the beast. Sehun's jaw dropped as he watched Kris in action, and he ran after him, cursing under his breath, hoping to stop him before he became the victim himself.

 

~*~

     Jongin groaned as he weakly opened his eyes. When his vision had stopped blurring, he glanced around, noting the large amounts of debris surrounding him. He felt something heavy get lifted off his legs. He propped himself up on his elbows, wondering why his body felt so heavy, and saw Onew digging him out of the rubble. He glanced down at his chest and gasped to find Taemin somewhat on top of him.

     “Onew?” Jongin croaked out. Onew looked up at him sympathetically.

     “It's ok,” the older soothed. “I'm getting you two out right now. The ceiling collapsed on us, but we all made it out alive, it seems. Nothing's come to attack us here either.”

 

     Onew continued to move chunks of cement off of Taemin and Jongin's legs. When he'd finished, he lifted Taemin off of Jongin so the latter could sit up. Onew rotated Taemin so he was resting in his arms against his chest. Jongin crawled over to them and began inspecting the unconscious boy's injuries. He bit his lip as he noticed Taemin's head was bleeding in several locations.

     “Taemin...” He whimpered. Onew snuggled the unconscious boy close, looking worried.

     “H-He's ok...He just hit his head,” Onew comforted, though he didn't seem at all sure of the statement. “C'mon. We need to get out of here and get him help. Can you stand?” Jongin nodded. “Alright, I'll carry Taemin then.”

 

     He stood up, carrying Taemin in his arms. Jongin shakily got to his feet, grabbing Onew's arm for support until he felt strong enough to stand on his own. Afterward, they slowly made their wait down the hallway, limping slightly. They were covered in minor injuries, but still able to continue.

 

     As they walked, Jongin glanced at Onew every so often. The older was holding Taemin delicately, as if he was afraid to hurt him. From time to time, he'd lean his head against Taemin's as well. Jongin had to force his jealousy down. Now wasn't the time to get angry over something like that.

 

     Jongin glanced around the crumbled hallway. When he looked out the broken windows, he saw a figure standing there. He stopped in shock and took a closer look. It was a black-haired boy with no expression on his face, staring directly at him.

 

~*~

     Minseok continued to run, dragging Luhan behind him, ignoring the latter's constant protests. Finally, Luhan broke free of his grasp, panting and absolutely furious.

     “How could you just leave Lay behind like that!?”

     “Because that's what he would have wanted us to do. He can handle himself.”

     “How the hell do you know that!? He could have wanted us to help!”

     “What could we have done for him!? Kicked at the wolf and gotten ourselves killed!? There was nothing we could do, so I choose the smarter option to run. So did Lay.”

     “We could have tried to distract it or something! We don't even know if Lay's alive now! What if he's dead!? What if he needs us! We're so far away from him now!” Luhan cried, tears streaking down his face.

     “There's nothing we can do,” Minseok sighed. “We're just gonna have to hope he's ok.”

     “That's all you can say!? Don't you care what happens to him?”

     “I do! But I also care what happens to us!”

     “I'm going back to Lay!” Luhan snapped.

     “No, you aren't!” Minseok stated firmly, gripping Luhan's wrist tightly.

     “Let go!”

     “I'm not gonna just sit here and let you get yourself killed!”

     “We're not even that close of friends! Lay's my best friend! I need to make sure he's ok.”

     “I don't care! I'm still not going to let you go after him!”

     “Fuck you!” Luhan shrieked. “I'd rather be running for my life with Lay than with you!”

 

     Minseok winced at Luhan's words and the latter regretted saying them instantly. Still, his grip remained tight around Luhan's wrist. Minseok looked like he was about to say something, but before he could form any words, a fire bird came charging down at them from the sky. Luhan's eyes went wide and he covered his head with his free arm. Minseok wrapped his arms around Luhan, holding him close in hopes of shielding him.

 

     He wished this day had never happened. Why couldn't everything have gone smoothly? Why couldn't he be sitting in history class right now with Luhan, instead of running for his life in vain. He didn't want this to be the end. He didn't want any of this.

 

     Minseok waited for the bird to tear him apart or incinerate them, but nothing happened. He glanced up and gasped when he saw massive icicles poking out from the ground, impaling the bird. His head throbbed slightly. Was this the same thing that Lay and Kai had experienced? Had he caused these icicles to form?

     “Oh God,” Luhan whimpered, gagging and trying not to throw up at the sight. Minseok let out a shaky sigh.

     “Let's go, Luhan.”

 

     The other nodded and Minseok grabbed his wrist once again, heading towards the courtyard. This time, Luhan willingly followed after him.

 

~*~

     Baekhyun had been carried away by the group of students and knocked to the ground quite far from where Kris and Sehun were. He groaned and slowly got to his feet, glanced around to figure out where he was. Monsters were still swarming the courtyard. He felt a breeze from above and looked up to find one of the giant birds circling in on him.

 

     He trembled in fear and screamed when it charged downward at him. He covered his head with his hands and curled into a ball. He didn't want to die, not like this. There were so many things he still wanted to do in his life.

 

     After a few seconds, he opened his eyes, wondering why he hadn't been torn to pieces or incinerated yet. He was completely surrounded by light. It seemed to be radiating from his body, but how? He looked up at the bird and saw it flying away, flapping around frantically and screeching in pain. Had it been blinded by the light?

 

     He smiled at the small victory, but it was short lived. His light had caught the attention of several nearby wolves and imps, and they began charging at him in groups. He would create bright flashes, blinding his enemies so he could just barely dodge them. It was tiring to create the flashes though, and the waves of monsters never seemed to end.

 

     Soon, his luck ran out. A wolf struck at him, and he felt a searing pain start in his right shoulder that traveled down, across his back, toward his left hip. He was thrown down from the force of the blow. As the pain set in, he let out a blood curdling scream, and his body met the ground.

 

~*~

     Kris was smacking at the wolf with the branch. His attacks didn't seem to do anything, but he'd at least redirected its attention off of the girl. It had become a challenge to keep the beast from killing him now. The wolf was much stronger than him though, and it finally tore the stick from his hands. Kris expected the wolf to kill him within seconds, but instead, the beast was thrown back by a gust of wind. Kris turned around and saw Sehun panting with his hand extended in the air.

     “What did you do?” Kris asked, amazed. Sehun shook his head.

     “I don't know...I was reaching for you and all of a sudden the wind just blew...”

     “What the hell is with everyone getting superpowers?”

 

     Before Sehun could make some sort of sarcastic remark, a scream penetrated the air. Kris and Sehun's hearts sunk as they recognized the owner of the voice.

     “That was Baekhyun,” Kris breathed.

     “We have to find him!” Sehun shouted.

 

     The two set off towards the location that the scream had come from. They could only hope they weren't too late. In the distance, they could see a faint, flickering light. It was growing dimmer with each flash. A wolf was hovering over it, waiting for the opportunity to strike.

 

~*~

     Baekhyun was whimpering in pain underneath the beast. He could feel warm liquid oozing out of his back. His head was pounding as well. He wasn't sure if it was from concentrating on flickering or loss of blood. He wouldn't be able to keep this up much longer though. He closed his eyes, tears forming. He wished he'd never separated from the others. If nothing else, he didn't want to die alone.

     “Kris...” He whispered fearfully, wishing the boy was still by his side.

 

     The next thing he knew, the beast was flung sideways off of him by a gust of wind. A figure knelt beside him, and an arm gently wrapped around his uninjured shoulder, lifting him off the ground and rotating him so they were facing each other. Baekhyun's vision was blurry, so he couldn't quite make out who it was. The figure leaned closer and whispered soothing words.

     “Baekhyun...You're gonna be alright. I'm here now.”

 

     Baekhyun knew that voice. It was Kris. The latter ran his hand through Baekhyun's hair and rested it on his cheek. Baekhyun slowly, painfully lifted his arm and placed his own hand on top of the other's.

     “Kris...” Baekhyun whimpered, breaking into a sob.

 

     He seemed unable to say anything else. Kris figured he was probably in shock. He couldn't blame him. Kris wiped away Baekhyun's tears with his thumb and continued to gently caress his cheek.

     “You're gonna be ok,” he whispered again.

 

     Sehun ran over to the two and bent down to survey Baekhyun's injuries. Kris looked up at him worriedly.

     “Sehun, we need to take care of him. He's bleeding badly. We have to get him out of here.”

     “Right...” Sehun breathed nervously. “The nurse's office is over there. It's our best source of medical help right now. I don't think we'll be able to get him to a hospital any time soon...”

     “Alright,” Kris said weakly.

 

     When Baekhyun let out another pained sob, Kris unconsciously held the injured boy closer. This was an absolute nightmare.

 

~*~

     Lay had been running nonstop. He'd made it out of the building and hidden among some debris in the courtyard. He was exhausted from running so much and his legs felt like jello, but he had to remain alert. He'd managed to lose the wolf while running, so he was safe for now, but he knew it wouldn't last long. At least he had the opportunity to catch his breath.

 

     Much to Lay's surprise, a red-headed boy, who didn't seem like he was even a student, came charging into the courtyard. Waves and whips of water surrounded him and lashed out at the monsters from almost every direction. Lay watched in awe. Whoever this person was, he had definitely trained his power well. Maybe they stood a slight chance after all.


	6. Chapter 6

      Jongin stared into the empty eyes of the black-haired boy. He wasn't sure why the boy was even there in the first place or why he wasn't trying to escape, but he definitely wasn't from their school. Something about the boy's presence was unnerving and downright frightening to Jongin. It seemed as if the boy was waiting for him, though Jongin couldn't begin to comprehend why. He glanced at Onew, who had yet to notice the boy's presence.

      “Onew...Keep going, ok? I'll catch up to you in a bit.” Onew turned and was about to ask what was going on, but Jongin teleported out of sight.

      “Jongin wait!” The singer called in vain.

 

      Jongin landed near the black-haired boy, out of sight from Onew. He took a deep breath before reaching for the mysterious boy's hand. It was ice cold.

      “What are you doing here?” Jongin asked. No response. “It's not safe here. You should leave...” Still no response. “Are you ok?”

 

      The black-haired boy moved swiftly, breaking free from Jongin's grip and pulling out a sword that had been hidden from the other's view. He slashed at Jongin, but the latter managed to dodge for the most part, leaving him with a shallow cut on his collarbone. He tried to gain some distance from the boy by teleporting, but he was still too weak to go to a completely different area.

 

      Within a split second, the mysterious boy was back in front of him, his sword now cutting through Jongin's arm, a bit deeper than the previous attack. Jongin winced in pain and let out a small whimper, then teleported again. No matter how many times he teleported though, the boy was back in front of him, attacking within a split second. Jongin soon had cuts littering his arms and legs, which slowed him down even further. How was the other boy doing this?

 

~*~

      Sehun helped Kris gently lift Baekhyun onto his back. They had to work slowly and carefully, since even small movements left the injured boy yelping and whimpering from the pain. Finally, Kris was able to grab Baekhyun's thighs and secure him on his back. Baekhyun weakly wrapped his arms around Kris's neck in response. The taller stood up as slowly as he possibly could to keep from jerking the boy on his back around.

 

      Sehun swept enemies away from them with gusts of wind as they made their way to the nurse's office. Kris could feel Baekhyun's sharp, pained breaths hitting his neck. It was unnerving and each breath made the situation feel more and more dire. Kris didn't even know what they'd be able to do for Baekhyun once they got to the nurse's office. Still, he had to try and do something.

 

      Finally, they reached the nurse's office. It was abandoned, of course, but the place was still in tact thankfully. Kris walked over to the bed and knelt down. Sehun helped lift Baekhyun off of Kris's back and onto the bed, laying him on his stomach so they could treat his injuries. Sehun let out a tired sigh and leaned against the desk in the room.

      “You ok?” Kris asked, searching through the room for towels and other various medical supplies.

      “Yeah, just have a headache,” Sehun sighed.

      “I'm sorry for putting you through this...”

      “There's nothing to be sorry about,” Sehun shrugged. “Baekhyun needed help. Let's just focus on taking care of him, ok?”

      “Yeah...” Kris mumbled, not feeling at all confident in his nursing skills.

      “We should take his shirt off,” Sehun started. “That's gonna make it a lot easier to take care of him.”

      “So should we cut it?” Kris asked.

      “Did you find a pair of scissors?” Sehun asked. Kris nodded and held them up. “Alright, then let's work on that.”

      “Right...”

 

      Kris held the scissors at the bottom of Baekhyun's shirt. He let out a shaky breath, trying to calm himself. He wasn't even the hurt one, but he was still a nervous mess. He wasn't anywhere near a qualified nurse.

      “Baekhyun? I'm gonna cut your shirt now, ok? Try to stay still so I don't accidentally hurt you, ok?”

 

      The injured boy gave a weak nod. Kris gulped and made the first cut with the scissors. After the initial cut, it was relatively easy to continue. When it came to peeling the blood soaked fabric away from the wounds, however, Baekhyun was constantly whimpering and Kris could feel bile rising in his throat. Still, he forced it back and continued. Finally, he'd cut the shirt in half and managed to peel it away. Both Sehun and Kris cringed at the sight. The wounds were jagged and bleeding badly.

      “We should clean his back...” Sehun mumbled, his voice cracking near the end from nerves.

      “Can you get me some towels, both wet and dry...and maybe some disinfectant if you can find it?” Kris asked.

 

      Sehun nodded and buzzed around the nurse's office, gathering various items. He handed the wet towels to Kris, who had to take another deep breath to brace himself.

      “Baekhyun? You still with me? I'm gonna clean your back now. It might hurt, ok?”

 

      The injured boy didn't respond. Kris gulped and began pressing wet towels against Baekhyun's back to clean it. Then it was time to apply medicine to the wounds. Kris bit his lip, then began applying disinfectant to one of the gashes. He heard Baekhyun take a sharp intake of breath. Soon enough, Baekhyun was thrashing his arms about on the bed, whimpering, crying, and sometimes screaming from the pain. Sehun quickly grabbed him and tried to hold him still while Kris continued to work.

      “Kris, this is really bad...” Sehun muttered, still forcing Baekhyun to hold still.

 

      Kris didn't respond. Instead, he finished applying the medicine and quickly covered the wounds with more towels. He ran his fingers gently through Baekhyun's hair, sweeping it out of his eyes. He then wiped away the tears streaming down the boys face.

      “What can we do?” Kris asked quietly.

 

      He was starting to feel like this was hopeless, and that scared him more than anything. Sehun opened his mouth to respond, but couldn't think of anything to say.

      “L-Lay...c-can h-heal...” Baekhyun mumbled suddenly. Sehun's and Kris's eyes went wide.

      “That's right!” Sehun gasped. “I saw him do it earlier! I'll go find Lay.”

      “Will you be alright? Will you even be able to find Lay in this mess?” Kris asked nervously.

      “I have no other choice, right? Just take care of Baekhyun til I get back, ok?”  
      “Be careful...”

      “Barricade the door so that nothing can get in.”

      “What about you?”

      “I'll use my manners and knock on the door and announce my glorious presence~ You'll know it's me.”

      “Alright, whatever you say.”

      “Be back soon!”

 

      Sehun rushed out of the nurse's office. Kris gulped and got up from the bed. He grabbed a chair and whatever other heavy objects he could find and blocked the door. As he surveyed his work, he heard Baekhyun whimper, and he was instantly back at his side, changing the towels on his back and pressing down, hoping in vain that it would somehow slow the bleeding. If Sehun didn't find Lay soon, it was going to be too late.

 

~*~

      Minseok and Luhan continued their mad dash toward the school gate. They'd made it outside the building, but the school gate was still far from view. The monsters were swarming them nonstop. Soon enough, they were cornered against a building. Minseok's head ached more and more after each icicle that he shot, but if he stopped, they would be done for.

 

      A bird sent a fireball at the building behind them, sending debris and concrete everywhere. Minseok and Luhan leapt forward, away from the falling rubble, and landed roughly on the ground. Minseok let out a small yelp as pain shot through his leg. His entire body throbbed with exhaustion and pain. He wouldn't be able to move anymore.

 

      Luhan groaned and pushed his body off the ground. He glanced at Minseok, who was painting heavily and shaking. Luhan's eyes wandered down his body and stopped on the massive piece of concrete covering Minseok's leg. He gasped and immediately tried to push the giant piece off his leg, but no amount of Luhan's strength could make it move.

      “You should go,” Minseok breathed. “Go find Lay and get out of here.”

      “I'm not leaving you!” Luhan screamed, still trying to move the mound of cement, tears streaming down his cheeks.

      “Luhan...please...Go find Lay. You can still get out of here. Please...”

 

      Luhan shook his head, crying much harder now. He smacked at the concrete and pushed with all his might, even though he knew it was useless. He glanced around and gulped as wolves and imps closed in on them. He was horrified and wanted nothing more than to run away, but he couldn't leave Minseok like this.

 

      A wolf charged at them. Luhan dropped to his knees and covered his head. This was it. This was the end. It wasn't supposed to be this way. This wasn't what Luhan wanted. He wanted to be happy at a new school. He wanted to have a normal life and make friends and graduate high school. He wanted to hang out with Lay and Kris. He wanted to get to know Minseok more. It couldn't end here.

      “NOOOOOOOOO!!!” He screamed, cowering on the ground.

 

      He felt an object whoosh past his head and heard a nearby thud. He glanced up and saw the wolf crushed by the giant piece of cement that had been previously on Minseok's foot. The nearby monsters seemed slightly dazed by what had just happened. They snapped out of it far too quickly for Luhan's liking though. He glanced around and saw a few more large chunks of debris nearby. He squinted his eyes and envisioned them flying at the charging imps. His eyes went wide when the debris did that exact action.

 

      Luhan pushed himself off the ground and continued sending debris at the monsters until they were all crushed. After, he walked tiredly over to Minseok and pulled him carefully to his feet. He slung one of Minseok's arms over his shoulder and supported him as they walked along. Their pace was far slower than before, but they were alive. That was all that mattered.

 

~*~

      Jongin was wearing himself out rapidly, trying to dodge all of the boys attacks. He was failing to dodge them more and more, and the amount of cuts on his body were increasing. Things weren't going well at all, and he was using his power far too much for his aching head to handle. There was nothing he could do though. No matter how many times he teleported, the boy was back in front of him in an instant.

 

      Jongin could tell the other boy was slowing down as well. It was becoming a test of endurance, and Jongin wasn't sure just who would win in the end. The boy's swings were slower than before and he was panting and shaking. Jongin was actually able to dodge some without even teleporting. The boy was probably getting to be just as tired as Jongin was. Finally, Jongin had a bit of an upper hand, or so he thought.

 

      Jongin felt a sharp jolt to the back of his neck, causing him to lose consciousness. He fell to the ground with a loud thud, revealing Chen behind him. Tao bent over, trying to regain his breath, then glared at Chen.

      “What took you so long?” He growled.

      “S-Sorry...You two were moving so fast I could barely keep up...”

      “Whatever,” Tao hissed. He stood up and walked away, wobbling a bit on his feet.

      “You should rest,” Chen urged. “You know your power does a number on you...” Tao turned and scoffed at him.

      “Take him back to the base. Keep him guarded along with the other one.”

      “What about you? What about the mission?”

      “I'll be fine on my own. You're too pathetic to handle this. You'll just get in the way. Go back to the base and guard them, since that's all you're good for.”

 

      The boy turned away and walked towards the courtyard, the center of the chaos. Chen let out a deep sigh and bent down to pick Jongin up. He whistled and a wolf came to his side. It growled darkly at him, bearing its teeth. Chen gulped, but tried to remain calm. He slung Jongin over its back, then hopped on himself. The beast jumped to the school rooftop, then bounded across the rooftops, away from the school.

 

~*~

      Sehun groaned as he stepped back out into the courtyard, amid the madness. He had no clue where to even start looking for Lay. Why did the school feel so large all of a sudden? His head throbbed from using his powers earlier, but he couldn't let that stop him. Baekhyun needed Lay, and Sehun had to find him.

 

      He ran through the courtyard, trying to spot any sign of the dancer. Most of the students had been wiped out or had ran away, so only the monsters remained. Sehun was a fresh target for them too. He was almost immediately attacked by wolves and imps. He created small whirlwinds to keep them away, and continued running for his life through the courtyard.

 

      He thought he saw a person fighting a monster off with water in the center of the courtyard, but he didn't have the time to stop and see if he recognized them. A fire bird had set its sights on him and was tailing closely behind him. Sehun could feel heat emanating off of it and he needed to get as far away as he could before he was completely roasted.

 

      He heard the bird inhale and he knew it was going to launch a fireball soon. He used the last of his strength to sprint away, but it was pointless. The bird sent a fireball flying at him and he fell to the ground to avoid it, but not without his shoulder and back getting singed in the process. He cried out in pain and curled into a ball on his side, clenching his fists from the pain. He looked up at the bird and realized it was circling around him in the air, about to strike again. He was going to die.

 

      He closed his eyes and looked away, waiting for the bird to attack. He heard a gush of water swish by followed by a screech, then opened his eyes in surprise. The bird had been soaked and slammed into a nearby building. Someone ran to Sehun's side and knelt down beside him.

      “Are you alright?” The person asked. Sehun didn't recognize them at all.

      “Y-Yeah...” He mumbled, trying to push himself off the ground and hissing in pain as he moved his burned shoulder.

      “Don't move. You're hurt,” the boy said, holding Sehun steady for support. “Let's get you somewhere safe.”

      “No! I've gotta find Lay!”

      “Lay...?”  
      “My friend is hurt really bad! I gotta find Lay so he can help him!”

      “You're hurt as well. You shouldn't be out in the middle of the battle.”

      “I'm fine!” Sehun lied. “If I don't find Lay, my friend will die! Please, I need to find him! Lay can heal...He's our only hope!”

      “He can heal?” The boy asked.

      “Yes, he can heal. I'm not nuts, ok! I saw it!”

      “No, I believe you. Trust me.”

      “Then let me go find him!”

      “I can't do that. Not when you're hurt.”

      “Enough!” Sehun cried in frustration. “Please! Just let me go!”

      “I'll go with you,” the boy stated. “I'm not letting you go on your own. Not in your condition.”

      “Fine, whatever! Let's just go before it's too late!”

      “Alright.”

 

      The boy helped Sehun to his feet. Sehun had to lean against him for support, but it was the least of his worries. He would do anything it took to get Lay to Baekhyun on time. He hobbled alongside the red-headed boy, wincing from both his throbbing headache and the burn. At this rate, he was going to need Lay to save him as well.

 

~*~

      Jongin's eyelids fluttered open and he groaned as he was met with light. He covered his face with his hands and slowly let his eyes adjust to his surroundings. It felt like his head was laying on something soft, but he wasn't entirely sure what. Soon, another figure moved into his line of sight, blocking some of the light that was beaming down on him.

      “Mornin~” A deep voice greeted.


	7. Chapter 7

      Kris had been biting his lip so hard he actually tasted a bit of blood in his mouth. Baekhyun seemed so miserable though, and he could do absolutely nothing to help him. He wasn't even sure if Baekhyun would regain consciousness at this point. It felt like hours had passed since Sehun left. Why was it taking so long?

 

      Kris jumped when he heard a rumble in the distance. He really hated being cornered in a small room like this, never knowing if the ceiling would come down on top of them. He jumped even worse when he heard a weak voice.

      “Kris...?”

      “Baekhyun? Are you awake?” Kris asked in a whisper.

      “Mm...”

      “How are you feeling?” He asked. Baekhyun exhaled and winced, which was enough for Kris to get the message. “Sorry, that was a stupid question...”

      “Kris...?”

      “Yeah?”

      “Will you do something for me?”

      “Sure, anything.”

      “Will you...hold my hand?” Baekhyun moved his hand in front of his face, palm facing up towards Kris. The latter smiled sadly.

      “Of course.”

 

      He removed one of his hands from Baekhyun's back, being sure to wipe off the blood, then gripped Baekhyun's hand. The latter was trembling and his hand was cold, which scared Kris. He hated feeling so hopeless.

      “Kris...” Baekhyun called out again.

      “Yeah?”

      “I'm scared.”

      “I know...Me too.”

      “Am I...going to die...?”

 

      Kris's heart sunk at the question. He didn't even know what to say in response. He didn't want Baekhyun to die. He hated the fact that the thought was even crossing his mind. He couldn't promise Baekhyun that he would live though. Kris didn't even know if _he_ would live, and he was in better shape than Baekhyun. Still, the other boy needed support, and Kris was the only one who could give him that.

      “No, you're going to be fine,” he soothed. “Sehun went to get help. You'll make it out of this...You just gotta hold on, ok?”

 

      Kris wasn't sure if Baekhyun believed him. The boy didn't say anything else, and Kris wondered if he'd drifted off again. He could still feel the rise and fall of the boy's back though, so he knew he was still hanging on. Sehun needed to hurry up.

 

~*~

      Lay had been in his hiding spot for a while. All was quiet around him, but he still didn't dare to come out. That is, until a fire bird noticed him from above. Lay cursed under his breath and dashed out of his hiding spot seconds before it was singed. His lungs burned from exhaustion, but he could only continue running away aimlessly. In the back of his mind, he didn't see this plan ending well.

 

      The person he'd spotted fighting earlier was no where to be found. Lay really could have used his help at the moment. He glanced around nervously, looking for any form of cover or another hiding place. Eventually, he spotted two familiar faces in the distance.

 

      Luhan and Minseok were backed against a wall, surrounded by beasts. Minseok was sitting against the wall, thrusting his hand forward and sending large shards of ice at the monsters. Meanwhile, Luhan seemed to be sending rubble at them without even lifting a muscle. Lay figured they were as good a bet for survival as any. He just hoped he could make it before the fire bird incinerated all of them.

      “Luhan!” He yelled out, despite his burning lungs. Said boy noticed him and gasped.

      “Oh my God, Lay!”

      “Help!”

 

      Luhan looked beyond the other boy and noticed the fire bird closing in. He practically shrieked from panic, but thankfully, Minseok was on top of things. He sent several icicles flying at the bird, piercing its wings and chest. It plummeted to the ground and Luhan sighed in relief. Yixing weaved through the surrounding enemies and slammed against the wall next to Luhan in exhaustion. The other two proceeded to strike at the enemies. Lay took that time to regain his breath.

 

      Minseok's head was throbbing and he'd lost feeling in his leg. He wasn't sure how much longer he would be able to keep this up. Luhan didn't seem to be in much better shape. Suddenly, a giant blast of water shot past them, knocking all their enemies to the side. More waves followed and soon two figures came into view.

      “It's the guy I saw earlier...” Lay mumbled in between pants as his eyes focused on the source of the water.

      “Friend or foe?” Luhan asked nervously.

      “Friend as far as I can tell.”

      “Is that Sehun with him?” Minseok asked.

      “It is...” Luhan answered.

      “He looks hurt,” Lay gasped.

 

      The waves continued to barrage the nearby monsters, and soon strong gusts of wind were added to the mix. When the last of the beasts had been beaten down or drowned, the two joined the group at the wall.

      “Is everyone ok?” The newcomer asked.

      “Fine...” Lay replied. “Thanks for the help.”

      “Lay...” Sehun started, hobbling over to the healer. “I need your help.”

      “I noticed. Your back is a mess...”

      “That's not what I mean. It's Baekhyun. He's in way worse shape. If you don't help him soon, he'll...”

 

      Sehun bit his lip, not wanting to finish the sentence. Lay thankfully got the message. He turned to the others, glancing between them.

      “Will you guys be ok?” He asked. Luhan nodded tiredly and slid down the wall onto the ground beside Minseok.

      “We'll be fine,” he sighed.

      “I'll stay with them,” the newcomer offered. Lay nodded.

      “Thanks, um...?” He looked at the boy curiously, realizing he'd never gotten his name.

      “Suho.”

      “Right. Thanks, Suho,” Lay finished. “Sehun, take me to Baekhyun.”

 

      Sehun turned and rushed as quickly as he could without jostling his injured shoulder and Lay followed behind. Suho watched the two go, hoping nothing would ambush them on the way. He could tell the two he was staying with now were both tired and injured though, so he knew they also needed protection.

 

~*~

      Everything was so painfully silent in the nurses office that Kris practically jumped out of his skin when someone began banging on the door.

      “Kris! It's me, Sehun! I brought Lay!”

 

      Kris gulped, regained his composure, and got up from the bed, begrudgingly letting go of Baekhyun's hand. He began shoving the objects he'd barricaded the door with out of the way. When the door was finally clear, he opened it cautiously, letting out a relieved sigh when Sehun and Lay came into view.

      “How's Baekhyun?” Sehun asked cautiously as he and Lay entered the room.

      “As ok as he can be...”

 

      Lay ignored the two of them and went straight to the bed. He carefully peeled the bloody towels off Baekhyun's back, grimacing slightly as the jagged cuts came into view. He immediately hovered his hand over the boy's back, and green light flowed out from his fingers. Kris watched in awe as the gashes on Baekhyun's back slowly closed themselves, leaving pale, slightly-raised scars behind. It took some time for Lay to completely close the wounds. When he had finished, he lowered his hand and let out a tired sigh.

      “He'll be ok now,” Lay reassured. Kris fell to his knees with a heavy sigh, relief flooding his entire being.

      “He didn't lose too much blood?” Sehun asked nervously. “There was a lot of blood...”

      “When I was healing him, I stimulated his body. He's already replenished enough blood to pull him through.”

      “So what's our next step?” Kris asked.

      “Well, there's that Suho guy outside,” Lay stated. “He seems to have more of an idea of what's going on here than we do. I say we get some answers, then try to find somewhere safe to go...I need to heal Sehun, and Minseok looked hurt too...”

      “You should rest,” Sehun urged. “You look exhausted. I'm fine, really. I don't want you to push yourself. If it's anything like the shitty headache that I have now, then it's not worth it. I'll live until you rest a bit.”

      “Alright...Thanks...” Lay sighed. He really was exhausted.

      “I guess I'll carry Baekhyun...” Kris muttered awkwardly, getting to his feet and moving over to the bed. “We need to go meet that guy you mentioned, right?”

      “Yeah.”

 

      Kris grabbed a spare blanket and delicately wrapped it around Baekhyun before picking him up. After, Lay got to his feet tiredly, and he and Sehun hobbled out of the nurses office, Kris following behind. They both looked like they were about to fall flat on their faces. Kris really had to wonder just how much these weird powers wore them down.

 

      They made their way back through the dilapidated hallways, trying not to focus on the debris and bodies strewn about. The walk back to the courtyard was completely silent.

 

~*~

      The courtyard seemed uncannily quiet after all the fighting that had gone down. Minseok and Luhan were absolutely exhausted. They didn't really know who the guy staying with them was, but he didn't seem hostile. They would take any help they could get at that point. Luhan groaned, placing his hands on his head, as if the action would settle his massive headache. He scrunched his eyes shut, feeling his head throb against his palms. Nothing he was doing was lessening the pain. He felt Minseok shift slightly beside him.

      “You ok?” The older asked, nudging Luhan's arm gently with his elbow.

      “I'm fine,” he lied. “Just a headache. I should be asking you that question. How's your foot?” He heard Minseok sigh.

      “It's alright...I can't really feel it anymore...My head though...That feels like someone took a sledgehammer to it.”

      “Jeez...I shouldn't even complain then,” Luhan grumbled. Minseok laughed quietly.

      “No...If it hurts, it hurts...” There was a pause in the conversation.

      “Hey, Minseok...About earlier, when I yelled at you...I'm sorry...I was scared and upset and I didn't know if Lay was even alive...I overreacted...”

      “It's fine. I know you were upset, and I can't blame you. I would be too. I'm not mad.”

      “Still...I'm sorry...”

      “I forgive you,” Minseok hummed gently. There was a pause before Luhan sighed.

      “Minseok...?” Luhan started, his voice shaking. The other looked at him worriedly.

      “Hm?”

      “I'm scared...This feels like some horrible nightmare...But with how much my head hurts, I know it's not. This is real...We almost died...A lot of people _did_ die...How could this happen? What do we even do now?”

      “I don't know,” Minseok answered softly. “I've never been more afraid in my life...But we're alive...At least for now...We'll figure something out.”

      “I guess...”

 

      Luhan closed his eyes, trying to ignore his headache. He still couldn't fathom that this was reality. People had died. They had survived, but was it actually worth it? He felt something heavy land on his shoulder, then move off of it seconds later. He opened his eyes to see Minseok teetering to the side, looking like he was about to pass out.

      “Sorry...” The older mumbled. “I'm just really tired...”

      “It's alright,”Luhan said gently. “You can lean on me. I don't mind.”

      “Thanks...” Minseok murmured, falling once more onto Luhan's shoulder.

 

      Luhan sighed and laid his head on top of Minseok's. He wanted nothing more than to fall asleep himself, but he didn't dare close his eyes. He didn't think he'd be able to rest easy until they'd gotten as far as they could from the battle aftermath.

 

      Suho tensed suddenly as another figure approached, carrying someone else in their arms. Luhan glanced from him to the incoming people and he gasped.

      “Onew!” He called to the figure. The latter spotted him and instantly started coming over.

      “You know him?” Suho asked.

      “He's our friend,” Luhan answered quickly. Suho relaxed a bit.

      “Luhan...” Onew started, glancing around nervously. “Are you ok? What's going on? Who is this?” He gestured to Suho with his head.

      “My name is Suho. I'm here to help. Are you hurt?”

      “N-No...I'm ok...Just some scratches,” Onew answered. “Taemin is hurt though...”

      “You must be tired,” Suho said soothingly. “You can set Taemin down beside Luhan. I'll take care of you two as well.”

 

      Onew nodded and did as told. Luhan reached up to help steady Taemin and lean him against the wall. After, Onew sat beside the unconscious boy, snuggling him close. He glanced around the still courtyard, then back at the others.

      “Are you guys waiting for something?” He asked.

      “Lay went with Sehun to go take care of Baekhyun...He was hurt badly apparently...”

      “You haven't heard anything about Jongin, have you?” Onew asked nervously. Luhan shook his head.

      “No. I thought he went to save you...”

      “He did, but we were separated. I'm really worried about him...” Before Luhan could say anything else, Suho interrupted.

      “They're coming back.”

 

      They watched as the group approached, looking worn down and tattered. Sehun was wincing with each step, his shoulder and back starting to hurt quite a bit from the massive burn. Lay wobbled on his feet slightly, but he was still managing. Kris seemed like he was on the verge of an emotional breakdown, and Baekhyun was unconscious in his arms. They'd definitely all looked better.

 

      Lay instantly noticed the new additions to the group and he squatted beside Taemin, checking to make sure he was ok. At the same time, Suho noticed the obvious pain Sehun was in and went over to him, gripping his arm to help support him. Sehun wasn't going to protest the extra help at that point.

      “Is he ok?” Onew asked Lay nervously. The latter nodded.

      “He's fine. Just some scratches and probably a concussion.”

 

      Onew visibly relaxed. Lay turned his attention to Luhan and Minseok, the latter of whom was still unconscious on the other's shoulder. He carefully shifted Minseok's leg, taking note of the various bruises and swelling. He would be amazed if there weren't any broken bones.

      “What's going on?” Kris asked the man he assumed was Suho. “Why did this happen?”

      “I can't tell you much,” Suho sighed. “I only have a basic idea...There's this legend of a demon...I think its trying to come back...”

      “Ok...” Sehun replied skeptically, looking at Suho like he was nuts. “Do you have an explanation that doesn't sound like a load of shit?”

      “Sehun,” Lay snapped. “Don't be rude. Besides...after everything we've seen today, his story really isn't that far-fetched.”

      “As I was saying,” Suho continued, pouting a little at Sehun. “There was a demon that was kept in check by twelve guardians. Most knowledge about the guardians was lost over the years, but they were able to control various elements. These powers have been passed down throughout generations. All of you who've developed these sudden powers are the new guardians.”

      “What's with the monsters though? Did the demon send them? You said something about it coming back...” Luhan inquired next.

      “I don't think the demon sent them,” Suho answered. “The original guardians sealed the demon away. The seal may have weakened over time, but the demon is still contained and powerless. I think this is the work of someone else...Someone who's trying to bring the demon back.”

      “Why would they attack the school though. It makes no sense,” Sehun asked.

      “They didn't just attack the school...The whole city is wrecked,” Suho stated sadly. “The school was the center of the attack though, probably because there were so many dormant guardians here. This isn't the end either. They'll keep hunting us...They need the guardians for something...My friend and I were trying to figure out what, but he was taken from me in the process. Since then, I've been trying to find him and the other guardians. That's why I'm here.”

      “How do you know all of this if knowledge of the guardians disappeared?” Lay asked.

      “The legend was passed down through my family, though the details are vague from the passage of time. My powers surfaced when I was young as well, so I couldn't exactly deny it. The proof was right in front of me.”

 

      Taemin suddenly stirred, groaning. The group looked at him worriedly. Finally, Taemin's eyes opened. He was met with Onew's warm, but scared eyes and Lay's concerned ones. He smiled gently at Onew, then looked at the rest of the group. His smile faded slightly when he realized someone was missing.

      “Where's Jongin?” He asked. The group exchanged uneasy glances and Onew looked away guiltily.

      “We got separated...I don't know where he is,” he said quietly.

      “We need to look for him!” Taemin gasped, trying to push himself up, but failing. Onew held him tighter.

      “We're all too weak right now,” Suho stated. “We'll die before we even find him.

      “But we can't leave him behind!” Sehun argued.

      “I don't like the idea of leaving him either, but half of you can barely move,” Suho retorted. “I'll take you back to our hideout so you can rest and we'll come back tomorrow, alright?”

 

      Sehun wanted to protest, but when he noticed how exhausted everyone was, how two people were unconscious, and how even more of them were about ready to pass out, he realized Suho was right. His back was also giving him quite a bit of trouble. He let out a sigh and nodded, and the group started following Suho out of the courtyard.

 

      From behind some nearby rubble, Tao watched them leave. He was still too drained from his last fight to take on the whole group, even in their current state. He would have to fall back for now. He stared at the receding backs of the people who were once his friends, and a tear streaked down his cheek. Seconds later, he turned around, making his way back to the base.


	8. Chapter 8

      “Mornin~”

 

      Jongin sat up rapidly, his surroundings spinning since he was still dizzy. He gripped his head and groaned. Two hands landed on his shoulders to steady him. Jongin glanced up nervously, and he was met with a gentle smile and blond curls.

      “Where am I...? Who are you?” Jongin managed to ask. His head was throbbing.

      “My name is Chanyeol...Can you tell me your name?”

      “Jon...Kai...It's Kai.”

 

      Jongin thought the nickname was idiotic for the most part, but in the presence of a complete stranger in a location he couldn't even begin to identify, Jongin was feeling particularly unguarded and suspicious. Lying about his name wouldn't hurt.

      “Well, Kai...” Chanyeol started, heaving a sigh. “I can't really tell you much about where we are. Somewhere underground from what I can see...”

 

      Jongin finally looked around the room, noting that most of the light was coming from glowing runes carved into the wall. They formed various characters, but Jongin couldn't even begin to read or decipher them. The room was small and made entirely of stone. In the corner, he vaguely made out the shape of a metal door. He looked back at Chanyeol.

      “Are we in prison?”

      “Something like that,” Chanyeol sighed. “Since you're here with me, I'm assuming you're a guardian as well.”

      “A guardian?” Jongin asked.

      “Do you have any weird powers?”

      “I can teleport...”

      “Then you're a guardian. I'm one too. They seem to be after us,” Chanyeol grumbled.

      “Who's they?”

      “The guys who captured us. I don't know much about them...Just that they want the guardians...”

      “Why?” Jongin asked.

      “They want our blood for something...”

 

      On any other day, Jongin would have thought the other boy was completely mad, but after everything that had happened at the school, nothing seemed to faze him. If anything, Chanyeol's story seemed to make sense. Why else would Kai have been targeted and kidnapped? He let out a sigh and rubbed his temples. Chanyeol looked at him sympathetically.

      “You feeling ok? You were kinda banged up when they threw you in the cell, so I was worried...I figured my leg was comfier than the floor, so I hope you don't mind that I rested your head on it...” Chanyeol mumbled awkwardly, trying to fill in the silence.

      “Thank you...” Jongin muttered back, equally awkward. “The school was attacked...I was fighting with someone and then I blacked out and I woke up here...”

      “Sounds like they made a pretty big move...They must have found a lot of other guardians to attack an entire school...I wonder how my friend is doing...He's probably sticking his neck into the middle of that mess as we speak...”

      “Was your friend a guardian too?”

      “Yeah. He controls water. Ah, and I control fire, by the way. There are times we get along about as well as our elements do, but he's a good guy, and I'm sure he's worried sick about me right now.”

      “You haven't tried to escape? You could melt the door down, couldn't you? Fire seems like a pretty strong element to have.”

      “All the runes on the wall render me powerless. They're written specifically to disable all elemental attacks. I'm completely useless in this room.”

      “So we're stuck here...What do you think they'll do to us now that they have what they want?”

      “Well, they've been keeping me here since then, but I don't see the use in keeping us around...it's actually counter productive since we're their biggest opposition.”

      “So you think they'll kill us?” Jongin asked worriedly. Chanyeol frowned.

      “It's not out of the realm of possibility...”

      “We have to get out of here! I don't want to die!”

      “I know, I know,” Chanyeol soothed. “Let's see...You can teleport, right? I don't think these runes block that ability, just elemental ones, like water and fire...Give it a try!”

      “Ok...”

 

      Jongin timidly grabbed Chanyeol's hand, since that seemed to be the only way he could take other people with him. After, he closed his eyes and visualized the other side of the cell door. He felt the same weightless sensation as always, then gravity returned. When he opened his eyes, he and Chanyeol were outside the cell.

      “You did it!” Chanyeol cheered quietly, not wanting to alert any nearby guards.

      “Yeah...” Jongin mumbled, feeling dizzy again.

      “Come on. We should get out of here while we can.”

 

      Chanyeol pulled Jongin through the hallway. Jongin was wobbly on his feet, but he tried his hardest to follow along after the other boy. He stumbled at one point though, and Chanyeol span around rapidly to catch him.

      “Easy there,” the taller soothed.

 

      Jongin timidly gripped at Chanyeol's shirt, breathing deeply and trying to calm his raging headache. His entire body tensed and his heart skipped a beat when a third voice called out suddenly.

      “Who's there!?”

 

      The voice was nearby, but Chanyeol hadn't figured out which direction it had come from yet. He pulled Jongin closer to him and glanced around. The owner of the voice sounded scared more than antagonistic, but Chanyeol wasn't going to take any chances. Finally, a nearby door opened, and a boy with strong facial features and black hair peaked through it.

      “You two...” He mumbled. “How did you get out?”

      “Stay back,” Chanyeol growled, one of his hands starting to glow with flames. The black haired boy shrugged lifelessly.

      “Just go. I'm not going to stop you. We already got what we needed from you...”

 

      Chanyeol looked at him curiously, wanting to know more. Jongin was still leaning on him for support, so Chanyeol very carefully walked the both of them over to the room where the stranger was standing.

      “What do you mean? Who are you?”

      “My name is Jongdae...but that freak calls me Chen...”

      “Freak?”

      “The man in the dark robes...He's the one keeping us all here...”

      “'Us?' You mean you're a prisoner too?”

      “I might as well be,” Jongdae grumbled bitterly. “He's using my boyfriend as a hostage...”

      “Is he trapped somewhere in here?” Chanyeol asked. “We could break him out together!”

      “I wish it were that simple,” Jongdae whispered.

 

      He opened the door the rest of the way to reveal a dark room full of machinery. In the middle of it all was a lone bed with a young boy resting on it. Wires were connecting him to all the machines and a faint, constant beep resounded quietly through the room. Jongdae's lips trembled slightly and he looked away quickly.

      “One night we were attacked on our way home by these beasts...My powers suddenly surfaced and I hurt my boyfriend in addition to the things that attacked us...”

      “You're a guardian then!” Chanyeol gasped. “You have to come with us and get out of this place!”

      “I can't...The only thing keeping Kyungsoo alive right now are those machines...and if I disobey orders, that man will kill Kyungsoo...I can't let that happen...I can't lose him...”

      “But it's dangerous here...”

      “I won't leave Kyungsoo.”

 

      Chanyeol was at a loss of what to say. He completely understood Jongdae's reasons, but it was still wrong for him to be fighting against them. They were both guardians after all. Finally, Jongin spoke up.

      “My friend Lay can heal...I saw him do it before...”

      “Are you serious?” Jongdae gasped.

      “Yeah...I could bring him here and he could help your boyfriend.”

      “Kai, that's gonna be really dangerous,” Chanyeol warned.

      “But we can't leave them here! They're in danger too! I'm sure Lay would be willing to help.”

      “Alright,” Chanyeol conceded. “It sounds like Kai's made up his mind about this. Will you be alright here until we can bring his friend here?”

      “I'll manage,” Jongdae sighed. “Tao might give me a beating or two, but I'll live...”

      “Tao?” Jongin asked.

      “Yeah...He was the other boy with me that attacked the school...the one that fought you. He's also a guardian. He controls time.” Jongin's eyes widened and Jongdae smiled sadly. “Do you get how he was able to keep up with you now? He would freeze time any time you finished teleporting, so he was able to keep up with you...but his power really takes it out of him, so he can't keep it up for long.”

      “Why is he working against us as well?” Chanyeol asked. “Does this robed man have something over him too?”

      “I don't know,” Jongdae answered. “Tao seems pretty willing to comply, but I don't think he's completely there...”

      “What do you mean?” Chanyeol inquired.

      “He stares off into space a lot and seems kinda soulless...I mean, he really only acts when he's told to...When I was first brought here, I heard him crying in the night...calling out some name in a foreign language...Then the next day he was like a heartless killing machine...I think the robed man did something to him...”

      “Who the hell is this robed guy?” Chanyeol asked, frustrated.

      “No clue...He's never even shown his face to us or told us his name...He just forces us to do his bidding...I'm sorry I can't help more...”

      “No, you've already helped us more than enough...But we really can't stay here much longer...” Chanyeol said sadly. Jongdae nodded weakly.

      “You should go while it's still quiet around here...But before you leave, knock me out.”

      “What!?” Jongin squeaked.

      “I don't know if he'll let me live if he knows I just let you go, so knock me out so it looks like a struggle.”

      “Alright...” Chanyeol reluctantly agreed.

 

      He let go of Jongin and walked over to Jongdae, towering over the boy. Chanyeol let out a shaky sigh and gripped Jongdae's shoulders. He whispered a soft apology before slamming his fist into Jongdae's gut. The latter gasped, the breath knocked out of him, then fell limp in Chanyeol's arms. The taller carefully lowered him to the ground.

      “Is he ok?” Jongin asked nervously. Chanyeol nodded.

      “Yeah...Kai, do you think you can do me a huge favor?”

      “What's that?”

      “Teleport us out of here. I know you're tired and hurt, but there's no way we're going to be able to fight our way out of this place.”

      “I-I can try...I might pass out afterwards though...”

      “I'll take care of you, I promise.”

 

      Jongin nodded slowly. He hardly knew Chanyeol, but the other had already been taking care of him before Jongin had even introduced himself, so he figured he could trust him. He grabbed Chanyeol's hand once more and closed his eyes. He had no idea where they were, so teleporting elsewhere could be a hit or a miss. Still, he had to try. Instead of visualizing a specific location, he visualized the sky. They were underground, so he figured anywhere where he could see the sky would be away from this place. His body felt weightless once more, but he lost consciousness before he could even open his eyes to check if it had worked.

 

      As soon as they landed on solid ground, Chanyeol caught Jongin so he wouldn't hurt himself further from the fall. The taller snuggled him close with a smile and glanced around. They were in the middle of nowhere, but they could see the city of Seoul in the distance. It was a burning, hazy mess. Chanyeol sighed again and readjusted Jongin in his arms.

      “You did it, Kai,” he said softly. “I'll take it from here.”

 

      He slung Jongin over his back, holding him up by his thighs, and began the long trek back to Seoul. He was trying to stay hidden amongst the trees and brush, since he still didn't think they were safe yet. As night fell over the land, he decided it would be safest to call it a night. He laid Jongin down on the ground and snuggled up beside him. The night was cold, but thankfully not unbearable. Chanyeol didn't dare light a fire. It would draw way too much attention.

 

      Jongin didn't wake up until much later. When his eyes tiredly fluttered open, he was met with a rising and falling chest. He glanced up and noticed Chanyeol beside him, staring at the sky.

      “Did we make it?” Jongin croaked out.

      “Kai! You're awake!” Chanyeol exclaimed. “We made it out just fine.”

 

      Jongin visibly relaxed and sighed in relief. He rolled onto his back and stared at the sky, not focusing on anything in particular. His head still ached, but it had definitely gotten a little better. Being able to think clearly wasn't always for the best though. His mind began to wander, back to the attack on the school, back to the fear he felt while running for his life, even back to the pain of Taemin's rejection. Was his friend even still alive? What about his parents? He couldn't even imagine what it was going to be like if he were all alone in this world.

 

      The cuts Tao had inflicted stung with each breath he took and slight movement he made. Factoring in the still fairly constant headache and the emotional trauma, Jongin was in anything but good condition. Tears welled up in his eyes and he sniffled and blinked, trying to will them away. He felt Chanyeol's arm wrap around his side and pull him closer.

      “It's ok,” the boy's deep voice soothed. “You can cry if you need to.”

 

      Jongin's lip trembled and a small sob escaped. Chanyeol snuggled him closer, and Jongin buried his face in the boy's chest, finally crying. All he seemed to do these days was cry, but he couldn't help it. He wasn't strong enough to get through this valiantly. He was barely holding himself together.

 

      His sobs turned to wails, and eventually, silent cries that shook his entire body. Chanyeol wrapped his other arm around him and rubbed his back. His body was warm, and Jongin felt like he could get lost in it. He was far warmer than any other person Jongin had ever been in contact with, even Taemin. Chanyeol's deep voice constantly whispering gentle encouragements was both calming Jongin down and lulling him to sleep.

 

      As Jongin's cries turned into quiet hics and sniffles, he found it harder and harder to keep his eyes open. Crying had used the only bit of energy he'd managed to recover, and after not eating anything all day, he didn't have much energy to spare in the first place. It was only a matter of time before he had passed out again, this time wrapped in a pair of warm, safe arms.

 

      Chanyeol smiled softly and nuzzled into Jongin's hair. He continued to rub the boy's back, even after the latter had fallen asleep. He knew that it would help sooth the boy, even after he'd fallen asleep. After all, Chanyeol had often done it with his separated friend when he had nightmares.

 

      Chanyeol sighed and stared at the stars once more. He used to love camping and stargazing when he was younger, but now he never felt safe doing it. He'd been running from otherworldly danger for half his life. At least being alone no longer scared him. Still, the recent uprising didn't sit well with him. Jongin had obviously been through hell and Chanyeol imagined the rest of Seoul looked far worse than Jongin did. He could only hope that Suho was still safe and sound throughout all the mayhem.

 

      Chanyeol glanced down at Jongin in his arms. The boy finally seemed at peace, fast asleep. He couldn't help but feel curious about Jongin's life up until now. The boy seemed so reserved and scared. Chanyeol couldn't even imagine him surviving high school in one piece, let along trying to survive the attack. The boy seemed like he needed someone to support him. Perhaps Chanyeol would be able to give him the support he needed.

 

      He snuggled Jongin closer and sighed, closing his eyes. He was tired from all the walking and sneaking about, but he would have to sleep lightly in case they were attacked and needed to flee. He'd gotten good at that through years of practice. At least Kai would get a good night's rest. He smiled and nestled his nose in the boy's hair once more, smiling gently.

      “Goodnight, Kai,” he whispered. “Sleep well.”


	9. Chapter 9

      Suho lead the group through a series of back alleys, avoiding every central street that he could. Finally, as the sun was beginning to set in the sky, they made it to an abandoned factory on the outskirt of the city. He pulled a large metal panel away, revealing a crack in the wall just big enough for a person to squeeze through.

      “Well, here we are...It may not look like much, but it's home.”

 

      The group looked at the building skeptically until Suho raised an expectant eyebrow at them. Then they slipped through the crack one by one. When they were all inside, Suho entered, sliding the metal panel back over the entrance.

 

      The inside of the building was so dark, the group could hardly see. Suho began fumbling around with something to the right of the entrance. Soon, they heard the sound of a match striking and turned to see Suho lighting a candle. He sighed and smiled apologetically.

      “Sorry it's so dark. My friend controlled fire, but he's not exactly here now, so I have to do everything the old-fashioned way.”

      “It's fine,” Lay said. “You're really helping us out.”

 

      Suho shook his head and walked around the room with the candle, lighting a few more until the room was dimly lit in its entirety. After he, motioned for the group to follow him.

      “We never really left this room of the factory, so it's a bit cluttered. There are 2 mattresses over in that corner though. Let's put the injured people on those.”

 

      Kris followed Suho over to one of the mattresses and laid Baekhyun down, while Luhan and Lay helped Minseok limp along behind him. Onew debated setting Taemin down to rest as well, but the latter stirred in his arms and groaned, rubbing his eyes. Seconds later, he looked up at Onew in dazed confusion, then as soon as he realized he was in his arms, he squirmed out of them instantly, turning a deep shade of red. He missed the fleeting hurt expression on Onew's face.

 

      Kris sat down beside Baekhyun and held his hand, trying not to turn bright red under Lay's curious and amused gaze. Lay's attention was redirected to Luhan, however, when the latter tugged on his sleeve.

      “What's up?” Lay asked.

      “I think I'm gonna stay by Minseok tonight...Is that ok?”

      “Why wouldn't it be?”

      “I don't know...” Luhan mumbled. “We went through a lot and I want to be there for you if you need me...”

      “I'm fine, just tired. Stay with Minseok.”

      “Ok,” Luhan whispered gently.

 

      He snuggled up next to Minseok with a sigh, passing out almost instantly. Lay couldn't help but smile at the sight. It seemed both of his friends had gotten quite attached to someone else. Lay got up with a sigh and walked over to the others. Most of them had sat down on the ground, completely exhausted. Lay settled down against the wall, rubbing his eyes and wishing his headache would subside. He heard someone move nearby but didn't bother to look up.

      “You all need your rest,” Suho stated gently. “I'll take watch for tonight.”

      “Will you be ok?” Lay asked, finally glancing up. Suho smiled warmly.

      “Of course. I've trained my powers quite well. I'm hardly tired.”

      “Still...” Lay mumbled.

      “Um...What about Jongin?” Taemin asked nervously. “We can't just leave him. He could still be out there...What if he's hurt? Or alone?”

      “I'll take whoever's recovered in the morning over to the school to search for your friend. I can't make any promises though,” the water guardian proposed. Taemin nodded grimly.

      “Thank you...”

      “Sleep for now. You all had a rough day.”

      “What about you?” Sehun asked skeptically. “You seem to be taking this way too well.”

      “I grew up with this hell,” Suho sighed bitterly. “Trust me, I'm no stranger to monsters or death.” There was a pause, but before the atmosphere could get any grimmer, Suho forced his earlier point. “Now sleep! We're gonna have a long day tomorrow too.”

 

      Suho walked away from the group, sitting himself at the crack in the wall where a sliver of moonlight was now piercing through. Gradually, the others started to fall asleep. Kris laid down beside Baekhyun, wrapping his arm around the boy, still in protective mode. Lay passed out next and Sehun was starting to doze off. Only Taemin, Onew, and Suho seemed to still be awake.

 

      Onew laid back on the ground with a sigh. Soon he felt a weight on his chest and glanced up to see Taemin's head resting on it. He cautiously lifted his hand and ran it gently along Taemin's hair, smoothing it out. When the latter didn't recoil from the action, Onew decided to continue. Finally, a soft voice broke the silence.

      “Onew?” Taemin asked.

      “Hm?”

      “Thank you...for taking care of me today.”

      “Of course...I would never leave you...”

      “I hope Jongin is ok...”

 

      Onew tensed at the mention of the boy, but he wasn't quite sure if it was because of jealousy or guilt. He feared it was because of the former.

      “I'm sorry...If I hadn't let him out of my sight, this wouldn't have happened...”

      “It's not your fault,” Taemin soothed. “Jongin made the decision to leave himself, didn't he?”

      “Yeah...But still...”

      “It's ok, Onew. You're only human. You can't make everything work out all the time.”

      “I wonder why Jongin left so suddenly though...”

      “Maybe it was because he didn't want to be around me...” Taemin said quietly.

      “I doubt that,” Onew comforted. “He was really worried about you...Why would you think he didn't want to be around you?”

      “Something happened...and I was being immature and avoiding him...And now he's all alone and I'm sitting here doing nothing...I'm never there when he really needs me...”

      “Taemin...You're hurt...It's not like you're purposefully doing nothing...”

      “Still...What if he's hurt too? I should be there with him...”

      “Look, if I can't be guilty over Jongin, neither can you. This wasn't your fault. We'll find him, ok?”

      “Alright...” Taemin grumbled, not sounding the least bit convinced.

      “We'll find him...I promise...”

 

      Taemin was silent, but he snuggled closer to Onew. The latter sighed and ran his hand up and down Taemin's back. He knew he was promising a lot. There was no way to even know if Jongin was still alive. Even if he was, the odds that he stayed at the school after the attack were really slim. Still, he needed to say something to calm Taemin down.

      “You really care about Jongin, don't you?” Onew commented, regretting it as soon as the words left his mouth. Taemin sighed.

      “Jongin is precious to me. If I'd known this would happen...”

 

      Taemin didn't finish the sentence. Onew wasn't sure he wanted to hear the end of it either. Instead, he pulled Taemin closer, wrapping his arms as tightly as he could around the boy until he felt Taemin relax against him.

      “Thank you, Onew...” He whispered. “I don't know what I would do without you.”

      “You're welcome,” Onew replied, trying to mask the warm feeling Taemin's words had given him. “Get some sleep for now, ok?”

      “Yeah...Goodnight.”

      “Goodnight.”

 

      Onew watched as Taemin drifted off to sleep, barely able to keep his eyes open from exhaustion. Onew let out a deep breath and readjusted himself into a more comfortable position. He stared at Taemin for quite a while before deciding that the boy was definitely asleep, so he could relax as well. He leaned forward, placing a gentle kiss on Taemin's forehead, then closed his eyes and fell sleep.

 

~*~

      Suho sighed and rubbed his burning eyes. The truth of the matter was he was absolutely exhausted after the attack earlier, but he knew he was better off than the others, so it was only right that he look after them. He hardly slept well anyways, so pulling an all-night watch wouldn't make that big of a difference.

 

      He stared up at the sliver of sky he could see from in between the metal panel and the factory wall. It was a little chilly that night, but not enough to make sitting by the gaping hole uncomfortable. Suho was so preoccupied with standing watch, he practically jumped out of his skin when he heard someone shuffle over to him from inside the room.

      “Hey...” Sehun mumbled awkwardly.

      “You should be asleep,” Suho sighed, trying to appear calm. Sehun started to shrug, but winced at the action.

      “Hard to do that when your back still feels like it's on fire...”

      “That's right...Lay didn't get around to healing you...Does it hurt a lot?”

      “I guess,” Sehun mumbled. “After seeing Baekhyun's back, I don't really know how to rank injuries and pain anymore...”

      “Let me see,” Suho said softly, reaching for Sehun's hand and gently pulling him over.

 

      As soon as Sehun was beside Suho, the latter turned him around and pulled his arms down, signally for Sehun to sit down in front of him. Sehun winced as each action made his body ache. He really had to wonder just how badly his back was burned.

 

      He felt the tips of Suho's fingers run along his skin, stopping here and there as they met with charred, uneven flesh. Sehun shuddered as Suho's fingertips tickled the back of his neck unintentionally. Almost instantly, Suho pulled them away and cleared his throat.

      “Sorry...did that hurt?”

      “No, tickled actually,” Sehun said bluntly.

      “Well, it's pretty bad, but I think Lay can heal it...It might scar though...”

      “Scarring is better than dying,” Sehun sighed. “I never thanked you earlier...So, thank you, um...”

      “Suho,” the other supplied. “And you're welcome. I don't think I ever really got the chance to learn your name either.”

      “Sehun.”

      “Nice to meet you, Sehun.”

      “Yeah...Same. Wish we could have met in a less bloody, painful situation though...” Suho chuckled warmly and Sehun felt hair stand up on the back of his neck at the sound.

      “Well, you might have to get used to that. I have a feeling we'll be fighting for our lives quite a bit from here on out.”

      “You really are used to this, aren't you?”

      “I guess...I've been fighting and training since I was 7. It doesn't make facing danger any easier though, trust me.”

      “Why did this happen?” Sehun asked, voice shaking slightly. “I mean, I know you gave me the crazy demon rant earlier, but...why did it have to happen like this? I just wanted to graduate high school with an average GPA and be normal...Not be some teenage superhero.”

      “I'm sorry,” Suho whispered sadly. “I really am...” Sehun sighed and hugged his legs to his chest.

      “It's fine...I know you don't have a choice either...”

 

      Suho stared sympathetically at the boy, who was still facing the opposite direction from him. As his eyes roamed over the charred and peeling skin once more, he couldn't help but feel the need to help in some way, even if it was just relieving some of the pain.

 

      He held his hand up and gathered some water from the air around them. After, he commanded the water over to Sehun's back, coating the burns in a thin layer of it. Sehun gasped at the contact and glanced over his shoulder at Suho, eyes wide.

      “I can't promise you much,” Suho started. “But I can promise to take care of you.”

 

      Sehun said nothing and looked away awkwardly, but Suho was certain he saw a light dusting of pink on the boy's cheeks. After a moment, Sehun finally mumbled a response.

      “I never asked you to promise anything...but...thanks...”

 

      Suho smiled widely. Sehun certainly acted tough, but he was scared and uncertain deep down. It made Suho that much more determined to keep him safe. Sehun yawned and rubbed at his eyes.

      “You should sleep,” Suho urged once more.

      “I don't want to go lie down...This feels good...” Sehun mumbled sleepily. Suho smiled once more.

      “You can rest on me. I'll take care of your back for the night, ok?”

      “You won't get tired?”

      “I've got a much better grasp of my power than you do. Something like this won't wear me out.”

      “Still...you had a pretty long day, and you're going back out tomorrow...Will you be ok?”

      “I'll be fine. I'm used to not sleeping well.”

      “Why? Scared of the dark?” Sehun jabbed playfully. Suho chuckled with a hint of bitterness.

      “I guess you could say that. I'm no stranger to nightmares.”

      “That must suck...”

      “A little bit. Look, just sleep for now, ok? I'll be fine.”

      “Alright...Thanks...”

 

      Sehun laid back, resting his head against Suho's thigh. Normally, he wouldn't have ever fallen asleep in the lap of some stranger, regardless of how nice they were, but right now, his back was aching slightly less and there was no way he was going to tell Suho to stop. Within seconds, he was fast asleep.

 

      Suho sighed once more and stared back up at the sky. In a few hours, it would be dawn, and another day of hell would begin. At least for now, he had peace, quiet, and a companion asleep on his knee. He would count the small blessings. Maybe tomorrow would be a better day.


	10. Chapter 10

      Jongin groaned as he slowly woke up, his body stiff from sleeping on the cold ground. His cuts still ached and his head felt heavy, but it was an improvement from the day before. When he opened his eyes, all he saw was the fabric of a shirt rising and falling in unison with the chest underneath it. He glanced up and was met with Chanyeol's sleeping face.

 

      That was right. Everything was starting to come back to Jongin now. He had escaped imprisonment yesterday. The school had been attacked. Jongin had been separated from everyone and met Chanyeol. They were together and safe now, but what about everyone else?

 

      Jongin jumped as Chanyeol lifted one of his arms into the air to stretch and let out a deep yawn. He had forgotten just how deep the other's voice was. Once Chanyeol was done, he sleepily opened his eyes, looking right into Jongin's.

      “Mornin,” Chanyeol hummed tiredly.

      “M-Morning...” Jongin responded, feeling much more shy in Chanyeol's arms now that they were both awake.

      “Did you sleep well?”

      “Y-Yeah...”

      “Good,” Chanyeol said mid-yawn.

 

      When he was done, he sat up, removing his arms from around Jongin. The latter's body practically screamed at the loss of the warmth. It wasn't even a cold morning. There was just something about how warm Chanyeol was. Perhaps it was because he controlled fire. That must have been it.

      “We should probably get going soon,” Chanyeol sighed. “We have a long trek back to the city and I don't want you to teleport unless you absolutely have to.”

      “Alright,” Jongin grumbled, trying to push himself off the ground.

 

      He stopped in place and hissed as his cuts stung with each movement. Chanyeol immediately grabbed his arms to help him and pulled him into a sitting position.

      “Hey, you ok?” The fire guardian asked gently, eyes wide with worry. Jongin nodded tiredly.

      “I'm fine...Just hurts...”

      “You're really banged up, aren't you...I'm sorry you're having to push yourself so much...Have you eaten recently?”

      “Not since yesterday morning...”

      “We're gonna have to get you some food...We had some rationed at our hideout. Don't worry. I promise I'll get you there and take care of you.”

      “Thank you...” Jongin mumbled shyly. Chanyeol smiled and nodded.

      “Of course. Let's get going, ok? Can you stand?”

      “Yeah...”

 

      Chanyeol helped Jongin to his feet carefully. The latter was a bit wobbly with each step, so Chanyeol forced Jongin to hold onto him for support as the walked. As awkward as it was, Jongin was thankful for the extra help. The city still looked so far away. It was certainly going to be a long day.

 

~*~

      Minseok was abruptly awoken by a sharp pain spreading through his leg. He whimpered and cursed himself for moving his foot in his sleep. He forced tears back and stared up at the ceiling, wishing for the pain to subside. He saw something move in his peripheral vision and he turned his head to look at the person next to him.

 

      Luhan was tossing around slightly and mumbling in his sleep. Minseok couldn't help but laugh quietly. Even in his sleep, Luhan was cute. Wait, cute? Why was he even thinking about Luhan in that way?

 

      Luhan stirred from his sleep and Minseok quickly looked back up at the ceiling. It felt like his heart was going to beat out of his chest, but he didn't understand why. He hadn't even done anything to warrant feeling nervous around Luhan.

      “Minseok...? You up?” Luhan whispered.

 

      Minseok turned onto his side, careful to not move his leg in the process, and stared into Luhan's eyes. He gulped, praying that the other boy couldn't sense how nervous he was all of a sudden.

      “Yeah...I'm awake,” he managed to respond.

      “How are you feeling?”

      “Alright as long as I don't move my foot...Headache is gone at least. You?”

      “Better. Sleep really helped.”

      “I'm glad to hear that.”

 

      Minseok cleared his throat awkwardly, trying to think of something to say. Before he even had the chance to think of something, he felt someone's hand gently wrap around his ankle. Normally that wouldn't have been a problem, but with his foot in its mangled state, even the smallest of things had him crying out in pain, which is more or less what he did.

 

      Luhan shot up into a sitting position, looking for the culprit. He let out an exasperated sigh when he saw that it was Lay.

      “You couldn't be any gentler with his foot?” Luhan whined. Lay just rolled his eyes.

      “I barely touched it. He's really hurt...I was trying to be really quiet about healing it too...”

      “Well, no point in trying for that anymore,” Kris groaned, sitting up as well. “Pretty sure Minseok woke everyone up.”

      “Sorry...” The injured boy muttered weakly.

      “It's alright,” Luhan soothed.

      “I'm going to start healing you now, ok?” Lay told Minseok, placing his injured foot on his lap.

      “Alright...”

 

      As Lay worked in silence, the others began stirring around the room. Onew and Taemin were the next to wake up and come over. Taemin was relying heavily on Onew for support just to walk, and there were bruises and cuts littering his head and body. He had definitely seen better days.

 

      Suho and Sehun were the last to join the group. Suho was holding Sehun by the arm, helping him to walk without straining the burned skin on his back more than necessary. When they were near the others, Suho forced Sehun to sit down beside Kris and wait his turn to be healed.

      “Looks like everyone survived the night,” Suho sighed.

      “Thanks to you,” Lay answered, not looking up from healing Minseok's leg.

      “So now what?” Sehun asked, glancing up at Suho. The latter was surprised at how compliant the boy was being all of a sudden.

      “You had a friend you were looking for, right?” Suho asked.

      “Jongin,” Taemin supplied.

      “I don't know what he looks like, so I'm going to need to take someone with me to find him.”

      “I'll go!” Taemin instantly offered.

      “You can barely stand,” Lay argued. “You need to stay here so I can heal you.”

      “But-”

      “Taemin, I'll go,” Onew interrupted. “I'm feeling fine and I know what Jongin looks like.” Suho nodded in thanks.

      “I can go too,” Luhan spoke up next. Lay looked at him nervously. “My headache is gone and I'm not that hurt. I didn't know Jongin well, but I at least know what he looks like.”

      “Thanks. Any help is welcomed,” Suho stated. “The rest of you should stay here and rest. We'll be back in the evening.”

      “Are you really going to be ok?” Sehun asked. “You didn't sleep at all last night, right?” Suho smiled and shrugged.

      “I'll be fine. I'll rest when I get back.”

      “Be careful,” Lay urged, finally looking up from healing Minseok's leg.

      “We will. We'll try to find some food along the way too.” Suho stated.

 

      He motioned for Onew and Luhan to follow. Luhan patted Minseok on the shoulder encouragingly and got up from the bed to head out with Suho. Sehun bit his lip as he watched them go, hoping everything would be ok. He wasn't sure he trusted Suho to react well after a night of no sleep.

 

~*~

      It took Onew, Luhan, and Suho a while to reach the school since they took back alley routes. The entire city had been torn apart and bodies littered the streets. The sight was enough to make the three almost throw up several times. The monsters certainly hadn't spared anyone. The odds of Jongin being alive in this mess seemed more and more unlikely. Still, they promised they would search. When they finally got to the school, Suho turned to the other two and sighed.

      “We should stay together. Onew doesn't have any powers and the two of us will be stronger together than apart,” he stated.

      “Alright. Sounds good to me,” Luhan agreed.

 

      They began walking through the empty courtyard, making extra certain to be quiet. They didn't see the horde of monsters lying in wait among the surrounding buildings.

 

      As they made their way into one of the school buildings, a group of imps dashed at them, catching them off-guard. Thankfully, Suho was quick to react. He launched them away with a wave of water and clicked his tongue.

      “They were still here! Get ready to fight!” He shouted at Luhan.

 

      Luhan nodded nervously, glancing around for any sort of rubble or debris that he could use as projectiles. Onew grabbed a stick from the ground. He knew it would be a pointless weapon, but it was all he could do to defend himself.

 

      They began bashing away at imps. A few wolves tried to charge at them, but Suho continuously launched them away with blasts of water. Keeping them out of claws reach seemed to be the best tactic. Things got much harder once fire birds started attacking them from the sky though. They were heavily outnumbered by then, and the situation looked grim.

 

~*~

      Jongin and Chanyeol were slowly making their way back to the city. Jongin was in fairly bad shape, so he was moving really slowly. Chanyeol was stuck to him like glue, making sure that he didn't collapse. Jongin had vehemently refused to let Chanyeol carry him back to town earlier, so this was all he could do. Chanyeol figured Jongin was trying not to be a burden, but he couldn't help but worry and feel bad.

      “Hang in there, Kai,” Chanyeol encouraged. “We'll be in the city soon enough.” Jongin nodded tiredly. “Are you sure you don't want me to carry you?”

      “No...I'm fine...” Jongin mumbled.

 

      They heard an explosion sound in the distance and they both looked up wide eyed. Smoke was hovering over buildings in the city and flames were snaking their way up into the sky.

      “They're attacking again,” Chanyeol gasped.

      “What should we do?”

      “I need to get back and find my friend. Knowing him, he's in the middle of that mess. Once we find him, we can head back to our hideout.”

      “Should I teleport us there?”

      “Yes. I'm so sorry, Kai...”

      “It's alright. My head doesn't hurt as bad today. Hold on to me, ok?”

 

      The final sentence wasn't really necessary because Chanyeol had never really let go of Jongin. Still, the fire guardian clung especially tightly to him in response. Jongin closed his eyes and felt that similar floating feeling overcome him. In seconds, they were gone.

 

~*~

      Kris was sitting on the mattress beside Baekhyun, still holding his hand. The latter hadn't woken up yet, and Kris was starting to worry, but Lay swore that Baekhyun was fine. Lay had finished healing Minseok's foot by then and was focusing his attention on Sehun's back. Minseok, himself, was still sleeping on the mattress. Taemin was sitting against the wall, tapping his foot impatiently. It had never been so hard to wait for news before.

 

      Lay eyed Kris here and there, smirking slightly at the fact that he hadn't let go of Baekhyun's hand since they had gotten there. Lay wouldn't have been surprised if Kris held it all night. Not liking the uncomfortable silence, Lay decided to try to strike up some lighthearted conversation.

      “So Kris...You've been pretty clingy with Baekhyun, you know?” He teased. Kris turned bright red.

      “I just want to be here when he wakes up...and he asked me to hold his hand, so...”

      “I see, I see...Sure it's nothing more?” Lay joked.

      “I'm sure,” Kris answered, not entirely sounding as certain as he claimed.

      “Baek's got killer thighs, you know,” Sehun added in this time. “There's no shame in lusting after them. Not to mention his fingers. Don't blame you for holding his hand~”

      “I'm not lusting!” Kris groaned. “Why are we even talking about this?”

      “Because I point these things out as I see them,” Sehun shrugged, his shoulder hurting much less at the action this time. “Baekhyun's pretty nice to look at, ya know?”

 

      Kris rolled his eyes and glared at Lay for starting this conversation in the first place. Leave it to Lay to get some laughs in at Kris's expense. Before Kris could change the subject though, a tired mumble came from the sleeping boy next to him.

      “Speak of the devil,” Sehun muttered.

      “Baekhyun!?” Kris gasped.

 

      Said boy groaned and tried to push himself up. His arms were shaky and the world seemed to spin around him. Thankfully, two large hands wrapped around him and helped him sit the rest of the way up. Baekhyun leaned against the body next to him, still too tired to support himself. When he glanced up and saw that it was Kris, his eyes went wide.

      “Kris...” He said in disbelief.

      “Yes, now we know everyone's names,” Sehun stated sarcastically, receiving a smack on the back of the head from Lay.

      “How are you feeling?” Kris asked Baekhyun gently.

      “Like hell...” The boy croaked out, voice rough.

      “You went through a lot,” Lay said sympathetically.

      “What happened? What about the school? Where are we?”

      “A lot has happened,” Lay started. “The school was attacked. A lot of us got new powers, ridiculous as it sounds. Another guy named Suho saved us and took us to his hideout to keep us safe. He went with Onew and Luhan to look for Jongin...He got separated from us during the attack.”

      “So...We're alive...? I'm ok...?”

      “Lay healed you,” Kris explained. “You still need to rest, but you're ok. We made it out.”

 

      Baekhyun visibly relaxed, breathing a sigh of relief. The relief didn't last long as the ground rumbled and an explosion was heard in the distance.

      “That was...” Sehun uttered.

      “An explosion,” Lay finished.

      “They're being attacked...We need to help them!” Sehun shouted.

      “We'll be useless. Taemin's still hurt, Kris and I don't have offensive powers of any kind, you're still in the middle of being healed, and neither Baekhyun or Minseok are in fighting condition. We're just going to have to hope Suho, Onew, and Luhan make it out ok.”

 

      Sehun bit his lip in frustration, hating that there was nothing he could do. Taemin rocked back and forth nervously. Baekhyun immediately snuggled against Kris, clinging to him fearfully. Even though they weren't in any immediate danger, it was horrifying each time an explosion sounded in the distance.

 

~*~

      Luhan, Onew, and Suho had managed to fight their way out of the corner they were in, but the beasts weren't stopping. The three were trying to stay together, since separation meant certain death for all of them. As the birds started sending down fireballs from above, it became much harder to stay together while dodging the flames.

 

      Finally, one fireball sent the three dodging in separate directions. Before they could even recover their footing, let alone regroup with each other, the bird sent another fireball down at the ground, heading directly for Onew. The scene seemed to go by in slow motion as Luhan screamed and Suho tried in vain to push Onew out of the way with a blast of water.

      “Onew!”

 

      The fireball connected with the ground violently, incinerating everything around it. When the smoke and flames died down, all that was left was molten ground.


	11. Chapter 11

      Onew's shut his eyes and cowered as the fireball came surging towards him. He felt a swift gust of wind, followed by two arms around his torso, then he felt a familiar weightless sensation. The next thing he knew, the heat around him had completely disappeared, and the two arms holding his waist let go slowly. Onew dared to open his eyes and found that he was now in one of the hallways on the second floor of the school, overlooking the battle outside. He turned around, only to find Jongin smiling softly at him.

      “Jongin!!!”

 

      Onew charged forward and closed the distance between the two, pulling Jongin into a massive hug. The latter winced as pressure was put on several of his cuts, but he didn't dare push Onew away. He needed the reassurance of another person just as much as Onew did. When Onew finally pulled away, he looked Jongin up and down, surveying the damage.

      “What happened to you!? You're a mess!”

      “It's a long story...Are you ok?”

      “Yeah, thanks to you...”

      “I'm glad.” Jongin glanced out the window at the battle below.

      “The others are in trouble...” Onew said nervously.

      “They'll be ok...” Jongin mumbled. “I think...”

      “You think?”

      “Chanyeol will help them,” Jongin responded, smiling again.

 

      Onew raised a confused brow and glanced out the window as well. He could only hope Suho and Luhan would be able to get out safely.

 

~*~

      Luhan stared in horror at the molten ground where Onew once was. He was feeling sick to his stomach and seconds away from throwing up.

      “Onew...Oh my God...” He whimpered.

      “We don't have time to freak out!” Suho warned, barely dodging the claws of a wolf.

 

      Luhan seemed to be in a state of shock, unable to move. Suho clicked his tongue and moved closer to Luhan in order to protect him from the oncoming monsters. As great as his blasts of water were at keeping enemies away, it didn't take long before the were being overrun and backed into the corner.

 

      Suddenly, a blast of fire swept in front of them, incinerating every monster in its path. Luhan and Suho both looked towards the source of the fire. As the smoke cleared, a blond-haired youth appeared.

      “Chanyeol!” Suho shouted happily.

      “Rough day?” Chanyeol asked, laughing a bit.

      “You could say that again,” the water guardian sighed.

 

      Chanyeol shot more fire out, taking care of the imps and wolves that were attacking them on the ground. At the same time, Suho was free to focus on the fire birds in the sky. After all, water was their weakness. Luhan watched in awe as the two took out monster after monster.

      “Is he your friend?”

      “Yeah. That's Chanyeol. He's the one I separated from, the one in control of fire.”

      “He's awesome...” Luhan gawked. Suho laughed and rolled his eyes.

      “Don't let him hear that. It'll go to his head.”

 

      Luhan regained a bit of his resolve and started chucking slabs of concrete at the imps that happened to escape Chanyeol's flames. Between the 3 of them, it didn't take long before all the monsters were killed. That was when reality started to set back in for Luhan.

      “Onew...” He muttered in horror. “He's...He's...”

 

      Suho looked away sadly. Even though he'd only just met Onew, he hadn't wanted to lose anyone else. Chanyeol looked between the two of them sympathetically, then up towards the second floor window of the school.

      “Alright, Kai! The coast is clear! You can come down!” He shouted. Luhan and Suho both looked up in surprise.

      “Kai...?” Luhan repeated in thought. The name sounded vaguely familiar.

 

      Soon, two people appeared right beside Chanyeol. Luhan's eyes went wide as he saw not only Onew, alive and well, but Jongin. He charged towards the boy and wrapped his arms around him. Jongin winced once again, but he was getting used to the action and the pain it brought.

      “Jongin! Oh my God! It's you!” Luhan practically sang. Chanyeol furrowed his brows at the name.

      “Jongin...?” He asked.

      “Ah...Um...It's my real name...Kai is a nickname...” Jongin mumbled awkwardly. Chanyeol nodded, still looking somewhat confused. Finally, Suho spoke up.

      “Well, it looks like we found who we were looking for, so we should probably head back. The others are worried, I'm sure.”

      “Others?” Jongin and Chanyeol asked in unison.

      “I've found a lot of guardians since you left, Yeol,” Suho sighed tiredly.

      “You must have worked hard...” Chanyeol singsonged.

      “It was exhausting,” Suho whined.

      “Um...What about Taemin...?” Jongin asked nervously. “And Sehun and Lay...?”

      “They're all fine,” Onew reassured him. “They're back at the hideout.”

      “Yeah, along with Minseok, Kris, and Baekhyun,” Luhan chimed in.

      “Sounds like you really did find a lot...” Chanyeol said, eyes wide.

      “Well, a lot happened yesterday,” Suho said sadly, looking around the decimated courtyard. “We shouldn't stay here for too long though. It's not safe.”

      “Right. Let's head back,” Chanyeol agreed.

 

      He walked over to Jongin and grabbed him by the arm and smiled. Jongin happily leaned against him, extremely tired from both walking and teleporting. He was looking forward to resting somewhere safe. Shortly after, the group set off.

 

~*~

      Lay had been healing injuries all morning, even as they heard explosions in the distance. He still needed to help the others, regardless of how scared he felt. He'd completely healed Xiumin and Sehun and was mostly done with healing Taemin when they heard someone slide the metal grate away from the entrance. The group looked up nervously.

 

      Luhan and Onew were the first to enter. Minseok and Lay let out sighs of relief and Taemin looked slightly less on edge, but the tense atmosphere didn't let up until Chanyeol and Jongin entered the hideout. Suho was the last to enter and he pulled the metal grate back over the crack behind them. Almost instantly, Taemin sprung to his feet and clobbered Jongin. The latter didn't even wince at the pain this time.

      “Thank God you're ok,” Taemin practically sobbed. “I was so scared...I thought you were gone forever...I'm so sorry...I'm so, so sorry...”

 

      Jongin didn't even really know what Taemin was apologizing for. He hadn't done anything wrong last Jongin had checked. He did feel bad that Taemin was so shaken up though. He wrapped his arms around the boy and rested his chin on his shoulder tiredly.

      “It's alright,” Jongin said softly. “I'm ok.”

 

      Taemin didn't loosen his grip on Jongin, rather, he tightened it. Onew and Chanyeol watched with mixed emotions, not quite sure how to feel about the dramatic reunion. Suho was smiling for the most part, but the lack of sleep and food was finally starting to get to him and the world started to spin around him. He stumbled and leaned against the wall for support. Almost instantly, Chanyeol and Sehun were at his side, each holding him by an arm.

      “Suho, you ok?” Sehun asked nervously.

      “Yeah, I'm fine,” Suho responded airily.

      “When's the last time you slept?” Chanyeol asked, dead serious. Taemin and Kai let go of each other and glanced over at them.

      “Two nights ago,” Suho sighed. “I've made it through worse.”

      “When was the last time you slept well?” Chanyeol asked next, not letting up. Suho just smiled bitterly.

      “I'll be fine if I rest for a while. We still have things to do today...”

 

      Suho walked over to the mattress where Xiumin was sitting and took a seat beside him, exhausted. Chanyeol didn't look pleased in the slightest by Suho's response, but he had given up arguing with him long ago. Sehun glanced between the two awkwardly and ultimately wound up sitting on the floor near Suho.

      “What else do we have to do?” Minseok asked worriedly.

      “Nothing horrible,” Suho responded. “Before, it was just Chanyeol and I. Now, there are a lot more mouths to feed...and you all could use some new clothes. I figured we should make a supply run in a bit...But getting some rest first wouldn't hurt anyone.”

      “Oh, that's right,” Chanyeol started, suddenly remembering Jongin's situation. “You said you had a healer, right? Kai, er, Jongin is hurt...”

 

      Taemin's eyes instantly shot to Jongin's body, which was covered in cuts. He gasped and held one of Jongin's arms up to examine it more closely. Lay got to his feet, somewhat tired from a morning of healing but not completely exhausted, and walked over to Jongin. He smiled and placed his arm around Jongin's shoulder.

      “I'll get you taken care of right now, Jongin,” he said gently. “I'm glad you're back safe.”

 

      Lay and Taemin lead Jongin over to the wall and helped him sit down, then Lay went to work. Kris and Baekhyun watched the whole situation unfold, not moving much. Baekhyun was still fairly dazed. Luhan let out a sigh and sat beside Xiumin, while Onew sat against the wall near Taemin. Chanyeol stayed standing, watching Lay heal Jongin nervously, as if he feared the healer wouldn't be able to accomplish it. Finally, Sehun broke the silence.

      “So...Where the hell were you, Jongin?” He asked.

      “Come to think of it, where the hell were you, Chanyeol?” Suho added in irritably. Chanyeol rubbed the back of his head and looked down.

      “I may or may not have been taken prisoner...” He mumbled.

      “I could gather that much,” Suho grumbled. “How did you get away?”

      “I wouldn't have if it weren't for Ka- Jongin. He teleported us out of there...though that Jongdae guy helped a lot too...”

      “Jongdae?” Suho asked, brow raised.

      “He's another guardian, like us...Not sure what his power is though...”

      “Lightning,” Jongin interjected, knowing all too well from his surprise attack.

      “Yeah, lightning,” Chanyeol continued. “Anyways, he let us escape...”

      “Why is there a guardian working for...whoever the hell is in charge of all this?” Suho asked.

      “It's some robed guy in charge,” Chanyeol explained. “That's pretty much all anyone has figured out...As for why Jongdae was there, the robed guy is holding his boyfriend hostage...There's another guardian working with him too, but apparently he's a whole different story.”

      “Great,” Suho groaned, placing his head in his hands. “Things can never be simple, can they?”

      “Um...The other guardian...His name is Tao,” Jongin stated. Lay, Kris, and Luhan all tensed at the name.

      “You're sure?” Lay asked, voice strained. Jongin nodded.

      “He was the one who attacked me.”

      “That can't be...” Luhan uttered. “Tao would never hurt anyone...”

      “You know him!?” Sehun asked in surprise. Luhan and Kris nodded solemnly.

      “He wasn't himself, according to Jongdae,” Chanyeol tried to comfort.

      “We have to save him!” Lay exclaimed.

      “We will,” Suho said firmly. “We won't abandon any of the guardians...But first, we need to have a better plan. You all need to train your powers. Going to the enemy base right now would be suicide. I'm sorry, but I really am going to put my foot down this time.”

 

      The Chinese students looked crestfallen, but they didn't argue. At that point, an uncomfortable silence filled the room. It was more than Chanyeol could really handle at the moment, so he tried to think of something else to talk about to lighten the atmosphere. It was then that he remembered one last important detail that Suho needed to know about their enemy, even though it wouldn't lift the mood any.

      “Suho...That man...He wants guardian blood...”

      “Our blood...Why?”

      “Not sure. It probably has something to do with releasing the demon...But that man no doubt has mine and Jongin's...Tao's and Jongdae's as well. He's got a whole legion of monsters and 2 guardians working for him too...He's definitely someone to be wary of.”

      “We'll have to be extra careful then,” Suho sighed.

      “For now, let's rest,” Chanyeol said soothingly. “We'll figure everything out later.”

 

      Suho nodded tiredly, looking like he was about to pass out. Xiumin must have noticed, because he scooted off the mattress, beside Luhan, so that Suho could lay down on it if he chose. The latter did just that, mumbling a quiet thanks. Sehun watched him curiously, surprised at how small and exhausted Suho looked flopped on the mattress, despite being such a strong leader figure minutes before. He wasn't quite sure why Suho fascinated him so much all of a sudden. Perhaps it was boredom.

 

      Chanyeol yawned and stretched, then sat down nearby Lay and Jongin, watching the healer intently as he finished closing up the last of the boy's wounds. After that, most of the group either laid down to rest or retreated to a quiet part of the room. Nothing much was said until the sun began to set. At that point, Chanyeol woke Suho up and the two ushered everyone out of the hideout. It was time to gather supplies.


	12. Chapter 12

      The group crept through the back alleys once more, this time heading to a now-abandoned mall. It was beyond unnerving how quiet the city had become since the attack. They didn't even want to think about the number of casualties there had been.

 

      They breathed a small sigh of relief once they were inside the mall and out of plain sight, but they didn't dare let their guards down. Instead, they headed for the nearest clothing department as a group. The stores had never been properly locked after the attack on the city, so thankfully they didn't have to bother breaking in to any of them. It was only once they were within the clothing store that they split up into smaller groups to browse.

 

      Baekhyun had been stuck to Kris like glue. The latter was the only thing keeping him grounded at the moment, and he didn't dare leave his side. Thankfully, Kris seemed to understand that and let Baekhyun cling to him as much as necessary.

 

      Kris sighed as he skimmed through folded shirts. Baekhyun was still in a bit too much shock to make any sort of decision at the moment, so Kris was basically shopping for two people. Baekhyun was walking alongside him, fingers firmly wrapped around Kris's wrist, while his other hand clutched the blanket around his bare back. Given his current state, Kris figured getting clothes on Baekhyun was top priority.

 

      Kris decided on a simple t-shirt, since he wasn't much of a fashion person. He figured this would be the most practical given their situation anyways. He tried to ask Baekhyun his size, but the latter merely stared ahead, so Kris grabbed a few sizes for him to try plus one in his own size, then pulled Baekhyun along to the changing rooms.

 

      Once they were inside the small area, Kris tried to usher Baekhyun into one of the rooms. The problem was Baekhyun didn't want to let go of Kris at all. The taller tried to pull his hand away, but that only caused Baekhyun to grip it tighter, with both of his hands this time.

      “Baekhyun...” Kris grumbled, still trying to free himself. Baekhyun's blanket slid off his shoulders in the process. “Let go...”

      “Don't!” The other whimpered. “Don't leave me...”

      “It's just a changing room. I'll be right outside, ok?”

      “Please don't leave me,” Baekhyun practically begged. “Please...”

 

      Kris sighed, and his eyes landed on the mirror within the changing room. It was reflecting Baekhyun's back, revealing massive, jagged scars. The sight alone was enough to choke Kris up. Baekhyun noticed Kris's sudden lack of movement and followed his line of sight to the mirror. Baekhyun stared at in horror.

      “It really happened...didn't it...?” Baekhyun whispered. Kris could barely hear him.

      “What?”

      “All of this is real...The city was destroyed...I almost died...Other people did-”

 

      His voice caught in his throat and a sob escaped in its stead. His shoulders started to tremble and his breathing became uneven. Kris didn't like where this was going at all, so he quickly entered the room, shut the door, and placed both of his hands on Baekhyun's shoulders.

      “Baekhyun...?” He asked carefully.

 

      Said boy let out a heart-wrenching cry and tears escaped his eyes. Kris did the only thing he could think to do and pulled Baekhyun close, wrapping his arms around him.

      “You're ok,” he comforted. “You're alive. You're gonna be ok.”

 

      Baekhyun pressed his face into Kris's chest and wailed, the sound muffled in the shirt. Seeing Baekhyun like this hurt. Kris didn't even know if what he was doing was comforting him or making the situation worse. As Baekhyun's arms timidly wrapped around Kris's waist though, he knew that it was helping. He snuggled Baekhyun close and placed his chin on the boy's head.

      “You're ok now,” he continued to repeat like a mantra. “I'm here now. I won't let anything happen to you.”

 

      Kris ran his hand up and down Baekhyun's back, trying to calm him. As he felt the marred, upraised skin, he couldn't help but cringe. He was thankful Bakehyun couldn't see his face at that moment. It wasn't that he found them disgusting by any stretch. He just hated the fact that the scars were there in the first place. He wished he'd never gotten separated from Baekhyun at the school. Things might have been different if they'd stayed together.

 

      Still, scars were better than being dead, and Kris would always be grateful that Baekhyun was still around. The only problem was emotional and mental trauma were taking their toll on Baekhyun. All Kris could do was be a chest to cry on. He hoped Baekhyun would be strong enough to get through this.

 

      It felt like ages before Baekhyun calmed down and stopped crying, but Kris knew it was probably only a few minutes. When Baekhyun pulled away, he mumbled a quiet apology and wiped his eyes, then quickly put on one of the shirts Kris had grabbed for him. Kris's shirt was soaked in tears now, so he decided to change into the new shirt as well.

 

      Once they were done, Kris held his hand out to Baekhyun. The latter glanced between the outstretched hand and Kris's eyes, then nervously took it when Kris smiled at him and nodded. After that, Kris lead them out of the changing rooms and back to the group to meet up with the others. He may not have been able to prevent what had happened to Baekhyun, but he could at least take care of him from now on.

 

~*~

      Taemin was lifelessly walking through the aisles. He wasn't really in the mood to pick out clothes, but he knew this would be one of the few opportunities to do so. Part of him wondered how his home was. After all, he had plenty of clothes there. Another part of him didn't even want to go and check though. He was far too afraid of what he might find there. He figured the others felt the same way about their houses.

 

      As he was walking, he didn't pay much attention to where he was going. He was in his own little world of thought. Once he bumped into someone leaving the aisle though, he got back to his senses.

      “Sorry!” he gasped, glancing up to see who he'd run into. “Onew...”

      “Hey,” the other replied. “You ok?”

      “Yeah...Just thinking...”

      “I get ya,” Onew sighed. “I would have thought you'd be with Jongin though. I mean, we just got him back and you were really worried...”

      “Oh...Yeah...I was with him a couple minutes ago...” Taemin mumbled, looking around. He actually had been with the boy, but during his daze, he must have wandered off.

      “Are you two ok now?” Onew asked gently.

      “I don't know...I think so? We still haven't really talked about what happened...But he seems a little better...”

      “What did happen, if you don't mind me asking?”

      “Um...Jongin confessed to me,” Taemin said quietly, looking at Onew nervously. The other nodded slowly.

      “I see...And did you say yes?” Onew asked. Taemin shook his head.

      “I said no...After that, Jongin disappeared for the first time, and since then, everything's been a disaster...”

      “Wow...That had to be rough on both of you...”

      “It was a lot harder on him if you ask me,” Taemin sighed. “I wish I could give him what he wants and needs, but I don't think I can. I don't see him that way...”

      “It's ok that you don't see him like that,” Onew soothed. “I'm sure you can still support him. It doesn't have to be as his boyfriend.”

      “Yeah...I hope he won't shut me out now...”

      “Just give it some time,” Onew comforted. Taemin nodded and smiled slightly.

      “Thanks, Onew...You really help me out, you know? I don't know where I'd be without you.”

      “Well...probably still buried under a pile of rubble at the school at this point,” Onew joked. Taemin's eyes went wide.

      “That's right! I never thanked you for that...”

      “It's fine. You and Jongin saved me, so I figure if anything we're all about even...though I owe Jongin my life on two occasions now...”

      “Jongin really is something else, isn't he?” Taemin sighed. There was a brief pause. “What do you think is going to happen to all of them? The ones who've been chosen as the guardians or whatever...”

      “I don't know,” Onew sighed. “But I figure we should stay with them to make sure they're ok...Not only that, but they seem to be our best chance of surviving this...”

      “Yeah...”

 

      Taemin looked downcast. Onew frowned a bit at the reaction and flicked Taemin on the head. The other yelped in pain and looked at Onew in shock.

      “What was that for!?” Taemin whined.

      “You're pouting too much. Let's just look for some clothes, ok? We'll figure everything out in time.”

      “Alright...” Taemin sighed. “Lead the way~”

 

      Onew started heading for the next shelf of shirts and Taemin followed behind. As they continued walking, Taemin eventually took a leap of faith and grabbed Onew's hand. He figured if Onew questioned it, he would just say it was so he could keep up with him. Onew didn't say anything, however. Instead, he blushed slightly and gripped Taemin's hand back.

 

      As they skimmed for shirts, their fingers gradually intertwined. Taemin's heart was racing and he couldn't help the small smile on his face. Maybe not everything was hopeless after all.

 

~*~

      Jongin had been browsing nearby Taemin when he had bumped into Onew. He hadn't meant to eavesdrop on part of the conversation, but they were within hearing range. It wasn't like their was music playing in the store for him to focus on instead.

 

      He heaved a deep sigh as he watched the two walk away hand in hand. He knew he had no right to say anything about Taemin's choices, but he would be lying if he said he wasn't still bitter and hurt. Why had he ever thought that confessing was a good idea? That was the last time he fell prey to peer pressure, that was for sure.

 

      He jumped when a hand patted him on the back. He glanced over his shoulder and was surprised to see Chanyeol, beaming a wide grin at him.

      “Hey!” The deep voice greeted.

      “Hey...” Jongin mumbled back. Chanyeol's face fell slightly.

      “You doing ok?”

      “I guess...”

      “You know you can always talk to me if something's bothering you, right?” Chanyeol said, suddenly very serious. “I know we don't exactly know each other that well, but I'm here to help. So is Suho. We'll take care of you guys, I promise.”

      “It's nothing like that,” Jongin sighed. “It's just me being petty and pathetic.”

      “How so?”

      “I got rejected and now I'm watching the guy I like flirt with someone else...And I can't seem to stop...I should be happy for him, but I feel so angry and just...I don't know...None of that should matter right now...”

      “I dunno. You're still just a teenager, right? And beyond that you're only human. I don't think it's wrong for you to have these sorts of feelings, regardless of if the world is ending or not. I think you're being too hard on yourself.”

      “But still...I should be happy for him, shouldn't I?”

      “Yeah, but you can be hurt too. You're gonna need time to get through this, but I think you'll be alright.”

      “You think so?”

      “Yep. I've already seen how strong you can be. Something like this won't weigh you down forever.”

      “Do you think...”

      “Hm?”

      “Nothing, nevermind...”

      “Don't be afraid to talk to me. I won't judge you, I promise.”

      “Do you think I'll ever find someone that I can be ok with?”

      “What do you mean?”

      “That I can just...be myself with...and feel ok...”

      “I'm sure there's someone out there,” Chanyeol comforted, smiling his wide grin once more. “You just gotta be patient. You're still really young and you have your whole life ahead of you.”

      “Are you sure? The world is kinda ending, isn't it?”

      “Hey! I told you, Suho and I are gonna look out for you guys. We'll all get through this. And I promise you, you will see brighter days.” Jongin smiled softly.

      “Thanks, Chanyeol...”

 

~*~

      Minseok had picked up three shirts already and was looking at the jeans display. He figured having some extra clothes would be best since injuries seemed to be common, which meant lots of torn clothing. Luhan and Lay were trailing behind him, being much less thorough in their search, but still picking things up here and there. Finally, Minseok groaned and turned to look at them.

      “Why does it feel like the grim reaper is following me?” He whined. “Could you two lighten up a bit?”

      “How can you ask that while we're stealing clothes in an abandoned mall? After the whole city was destroyed!” Lay snarled back. Minseok shrugged.

      “I don't know, but I can take the heavy atmosphere...”

 

      Lay grimaced and walked over to a different shirt display. Luhan bit his lip, looking between the two boys. He decided to talk to Minseok first.

      “Hey...You ok...?” He asked cautiously. Minseok gave him a tense smile.

      “I've been better...You?”

      “I guess I'm about the same as you...Is your foot alright?”

      “Yeah. Lay healed it, so it's fine now.”

      “That's good...” There was a pause. “You know...Lay and I are trying to cope with this...but we aren't that good at smiling when times are tough...”

      “I know,” Minseok mumbled. “I'm not either...but I can't take the tension...I'm sorry I snapped.”

      “It's alright. I wasn't trying to make you feel bad...but this has been pretty hard on all of us. I think Lay is pretty freaked out too...He's just trying to keep it cooped up...”

      “Is it about that Tao person?”

      “I think that's a large part of it,” Luhan sighed. “Tao and Lay were really close...Well, we all were, actually. The four of us decided to study in Korea together and worked really hard to make sure we stayed together...but at the last second, Tao pulled out and transferred schools and none of us heard anything about him until just now...Lay and Kris took the whole thing harder than I did...but now that Tao's apparently attacking people and fighting against us, Lay's not exactly doing so well...”

      “So Tao wasn't the type to hurt anyone?”

      “No. He was the biggest baby ever. Kris and Lay spoiled him rotten...Not exactly the type of person to become an assassin, you know?”

      “I guess not...”

      “Anyways, we're all really tired and freaked out...so let's just try to get along, ok?”

      “Yeah...Sorry...”

      “It's alright. You don't need to apologize. I'm gonna go make sure Lay's ok though.”

      “Yeah.”

 

      Luhan smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes, and walked over to Lay. The latter had been staring at the same shirt for five minutes and counting. Luhan looked at him sympathetically.

      “Lay...?”

      “You don't think Tao really wanted to hurt Jongin, do you?” The dancer asked suddenly.

      “I don't know...but I doubt it was the same Tao that we knew...”

      “How many people named 'Tao' can there be in Korea though?”

      “That's not what I meant...”

      “So you think he changed?”

      “I don't know...Maybe...Or that guy did something to him...”

      “And that's supposed to make me feel better?” Lay asked, voice shaking.

      “Lay, we'll get him back. We've got new powers...and we've got 2 people who know how to fight...we'll get better and we'll go save Tao, ok?”

      “I just don't want anything to happen to him...”

      “I know,” Luhan said softly. “We'll save him. I promise.”

 

      Lay wasn't sure if he could believe that promise. For a brief moment, he regretted having the power to heal. He knew it was a power that had saved several lives already, but when it came to saving Tao, it felt completely useless.

 

~*~

      Sehun had been following Suho around for the entire trip. They'd managed to find a few new shirts and pants. Sehun had immediately put one of the shirts on since his current one had been more or less burned off half of his body. After they'd finished picking out clothes, Suho had headed to a different shop, a small convenience store within the mall that offered food and other necessities.

 

      Suho grabbed 4 different baskets and was piling them full of nonperishable food, bottled water, and what little fruits and vegetables he thought they could eat before they went bad. Sehun watched in awe as the baskets quickly filled up.

      “We might need more...” Suho sighed as he stared at his work in progress.

      “Seriously!?” Sehun gasped.

      “We've got 11 mouths to feed now, Sehun. At 3 meals a day, that's 33 meals...We're gonna need a LOT more now that I think about it”

 

      Suho rushed past Sehun to go look for more baskets, but along the way, he stumbled slightly. Sehun had fast reflexes though and grabbed Suho's arm to steady him before the other could fall to the ground.

      “Slow down, jeez,” Sehun grumbled.

 

      He was about to make another snide comment but he noticed how Suho was squinting his eyes shut and taking labored breaths. Almost instantly Sehun turned Suho so he was facing him.

      “Hey...What's wrong...?”

      “Nothing,” Suho breathed. “Just a headache...It'll pass...”

      “You used your power too much, didn't you?”

      “More than usual, yeah. It's not that bad, don't worry.”

      “Like I'm gonna believe that,” Sehun snapped. “I know you have more training than me, but I doubt the pain is any better when you overdo it. Not only that, but you haven't slept much, right? Just a couple of hours earlier...”

      “I'm used to that,” Suho deflected.

      “I don't care. You're still in rough shape, so let me help. You want more baskets? I'll bring 5! Just...take it easy, ok?”

      “You're awfully concerned about me,” Suho muttered.

      “Well, yeah...You helped me, so I wanna help you. Is that so hard to get through your thick skull?”

      “I guess not...Just not used to it...Even Chanyeol doesn't stick to me this much...”

      “Well, I'm not Chanyeol. I'm Sehun,” the boy huffed indignantly. Suho laughed a little bit and patted Sehun on the back.

      “You're right...So, about those 5 baskets...”

      “Wait, I was exaggerating. You actually want 5?”

      “I was thinking maybe 6 just to make it 10 baskets total...”

      “You're ridiculous,” Sehun sighed.

      “33 meals a day...” Suho repeated. Sehun rolled his eyes.

      “I know, I know. I'll go get your damn baskets.”

 

      Suho smiled as he watched Sehun skulk away. He couldn't remember the last time he'd smiled genuinely, even if it was just a fleeting moment. He enjoyed and cherished Chanyeol's friendship and presence in his life, but their relationship was often much more serious. He was really enjoying having the newcomers around. Particularly the tall, whiny, smartass one.

 

      Soon enough, Sehun returned with 6 baskets and the two started filling them up once more. When they were done, they had to carry some and slide the rest along the floor with their feet. Thankfully, the others had finished gathering clothes by then and instantly ran over and grabbed a basket to help. After that, the group headed back to the hideout.

 

      Along the way, Chanyeol went on and on about how he and Suho would start training them to fight and control their powers the following day. It was unnerving to the group to think about fighting becoming a regular occurrence, but they knew they needed to brace themselves for it nonetheless. Before anything though, they would have one last night to rest.


	13. Chapter 13

      When the group got back to the hideout, they put together a simple meal with the supplies they'd just gotten. With Suho and Chanyeol's powers, they were able to get hot water, so they at least had access to instant ramyun and the like. After that, they laid down to sleep, exhausted from the previous two days.

 

      Sehun had snuggled up next to Suho, still not trusting the boy to actually take the night off and rest. Meanwhile, Chanyeol took watch for the night. They didn't want any of the new fighters to be on duty until they started properly training them. Thankfully, Chanyeol realized how tired Suho was and forced him to take the night off. Suho still seemed pretty uneasy though, and Sehun wasn't sure why. Not until later that night, that is.

 

      Sehun was awoken by constant tossing and turning beside him. He opened his eyes with a groan, only to find Suho sweating and thrashing about beside him. The other was starting to whimper things in his sleep as well. Sehun quickly propped himself up on his elbow to check on the other boy. Another figure walked over in Sehun's peripheral vision, but he was too busy trying to figure out if Suho was hurt or not to look at them. Soon, two hands had gripped Suho's shoulders and were shaking him awake.

      “Suho...Suho!” Chanyeol's voice called softly, but firmly.

 

      Sehun finally glanced up at Chanyeol briefly, noting how serious he was, then back down to Suho. Finally, the boy opened his eyes with a gasp, and stopped writhing about. Suho looked up at Chanyeol in shock, and Sehun swore he'd never seen someone look so vulnerable and broken before. A choked sob escaped Suho's lips and Chanyeol immediately rubbed his arm to comfort him.

      “You're ok. It was just a dream,” Chanyeol soothed.

 

      Tears ran down Suho's cheeks. He didn't even seem to notice Sehun was there. He was just staring up in shock, trying to take deep breaths as Chanyeol ran fingers through his hair and along his cheek. Sehun watched from the side, feeling worried more than anything, but there was a hint of jealousy that he couldn't understand either.

 

      Suho placed his arm over his eyes and let out shaky breaths. Sehun could tell he was still crying though. Chanyeol stayed beside him the entire time. Eventually, he glanced over at Sehun and smiled sadly.

      “Sorry about this...” He said softly. Sehun just shook his head.

      “What happened...?”

      “Suho has recurring nightmares...”

      “So that was him having a nightmare?” Sehun asked skeptically. He was worried it was a seizure of something.

      “Yeah...They get pretty bad...He's been on his own for a while, so I doubt he was sleeping well during that time. He usually needs someone with him to calm him down.”

      “I see...”

      “I can't do much else besides this though,” Chanyeol sighed, rubbing Suho's arm once more.

 

      Sehun nodded slowly, taking the information in. Suho had mentioned something about nightmares, but Sehun hadn't take it so literally. Eventually, Suho let out a deep breath.

      “I'm ok now, Yeol,” he whispered, his voice coarse.

      “You sure?”

      “Yeah...I'll be fine.”

      “Alright...Try to get some more rest...” Chanyeol glanced over at Sehun next. “Both of you.”

 

      Suho finally seemed to realize that Sehun was awake as well, and he lifted his arm and glanced over at him. Chanyeol got to his feet after giving Suho one more pat on the shoulder, and resumed his post. Sehun laid back down on the ground with a sigh and stared at Suho.

      “I'm sorry...I must have woken you up...” Suho mumbled weakly.

      “It's alright...You weren't kidding when you said you weren't a stranger to nightmares, huh?” Sehun asked, scooting closer to Suho. The latter looked at him nervously.

      “No...I guess I wasn't...”

      “How long have you had them?”

      “Since I was a kid...”

      “And they've always been that bad?”

      “They used to be worse, actually,” Suho sighed.

      “Wow...”

      “You aren't going to ask what they were?”

      “Well, I figured if they freaked you out that much when you were asleep, you wouldn't want to talk about it when you were awake,” Sehun answered simply. Suho smiled.

      “Thanks...I appreciate that.”

      “Is there anything you can do that will help?”

      “What do you mean...?”

      “I dunno...Drink a cup of warm milk? Watch kitten videos online?”

      “We don't even have a computer, Sehun...and even if we did, my guess is we wouldn't get wifi.”

      “It was an example,” Sehun grumbled. “What about a stuffed animal or something?”

      “Sehun...this isn't a joke...”

      “I'm not joking,” Sehun said, staring right into Suho's eyes. “What about holding on to someone?”

      “I'm not going to do that,” Suho groaned, turning away from Sehun. “Just go back to sleep. I'm sorry I woke you up.”

 

      Sehun puffed his cheeks up in frustration. All he wanted was to try and help. He cautiously scooted closer to Suho, so that he was spooning the boy, and wrapped his arm around his waist. Suho jumped at the action and tried to look at him over his shoulder.

      “Sehun!” He hissed, more surprised than angry.

      “Shh...Just try it, ok? If it doesn't work, I won't do it again, ok?”

 

      He heard Suho sigh, but he didn't say anything more to protest the idea. Eventually, he even relaxed against Sehun's body. Sehun wasn't sure if Suho was even still awake when he whispered something against the other boy's neck.

      “You helped me, so let me help you...”

 

      Shortly after, Sehun dozed off again. Suho didn't seem to have any more nightmares that night, though Sehun wasn't really sure that was from his influence or not. He would love to think that way though.

 

~*~

      As the group slowly woke up in the morning, Chanyeol had another instant meal waiting for them. He woke Sehun and Suho last, since he wanted both of them to get a little more sleep after the incident last night. When they did wake up, both were fairly groggy, but Suho seemed to be rested enough to put on his usual brave face. Sehun was starting to think he could see through it though.

 

      The group ate in silence. Afterwards, Chanyeol and Suho announced that they would be training them that day. They took them up to several different floors of the factory, spreading them out so that they could practice without harming anyone else. Chanyeol and Suho would then begin coaching them on how to control their powers better. Suho was definitely more trained in his element than Chanyeol, but he was also more trained at hand to hand combat, so he was also in charge of teaching Onew, Taemin, and Kris how to fight.

 

      They put Sehun and Luhan together, and they were put to work juggling various clutter around the room with their powers. Baekhyun was put on a floor by himself and was in charge of focusing his light at various intensities. Xiumin was put on his own floor as well, mostly to avoid anyone from getting shot full of icicles. He was supposed to learn to properly control his powers first, since he was a little less contained with his element, then they would work on honing his skills. Finally, Lay was put on another floor. He was a bit harder to train, since his powers required an injury. Still, they figured out something that would work. Jongin was put in charge of teleporting to different floors of the building to look for dead plants. Lay's job was then to revive them.

 

      Overall, the day was long and not without its mishaps. When Jongin was teleporting to the fourth floor, which was Baekhyun's floor, the latter happened to be shining rather brightly. Jongin quickly covered his eyes, but he was still seeing spots for a while. Baekhyun instantly ran over to check on the boy.

      “I'm so sorry, Kai!” He said frantically. Jongin groaned and rubbed his eyes.

      “It's alright...You'll do a good job at blinding enemies at least,” Jongin tried to comfort. Baekhyun simply frowned.

      “I'm sorry...Can you see alright?”

      “Yeah,” Jongin sighed, wiping tears from his eyes. “My vision is fine now.”

      “That's good...”

      “I should probably be going,” Jongin sighed. “Gotta find another plant for Lay...”

      “Right...Good luck, Kai!”

      “Ah, call me Jongin.”

      “Hm?” Why the sudden change...again?”

      “I guess...I can only ever be who I am,” Jongin shrugged. “I'll have to get stronger on my own.”

 

      Baekhyun nodded, still trying to process what exactly Jongin had said. The boy soon disappeared to another floor, leaving Baekhyun to blind his next victim, which would be Chanyeol, who came in to check on him about an hour later.

 

~*~

      They took breaks often so that no one got worn out, but they still practiced for most of the day. As evening neared, Suho was proud to see Taemin, Onew, and Kris all able to guard against basic attacks and even land some themselves. Suho mostly worked with Kris, which was rather interesting given the clear height difference. Thankfully, Kris was willing and eager to learn technique rather than simply use his size to overpower him.

 

      Onew and Taemin had been going at each other for a while. Taemin's fist eventually connected with Onew's nose, surprising both of them. Almost instantly, Taemin's hands went to Onew's face, grabbing it to inspect the damage.

      “Oh my God, I'm so sorry!” Taemin gasped. “Are you ok? Is your nose bleeding?”

      “It's fine, Taemin,” Onew responded, sounding a little odd since he was clutching his nose. “That was a good hit.”

      “That doesn't matter!” Taemin huffed.

      “Sure it does,” Onew countered. Taemin rolled his eyes.

      “You ok over there?” Suho asked, glancing over at the two. “If your nose is hurt, Lay can heal it, so don't be shy!”

      “I'm fine!” Onew answered, removing his hands. His nose was red, but otherwise still in tact.

      “I think it's about time we call it a day,” Suho sighed. “You guys did really well!”

      “Thank you for teaching us,” Kris said, bowing slightly.

 

      Suho and Kris started heading for the door to the staircase. Onew was about to follow them, but Taemin grabbed his hand and held him back. Onew looked at him in confusion.

      “My nose is really ok, Taemin...”

      “I know...That's not what I wanted to talk about...”

      “Oh...ok...What about?”

      “Well...The other day I told you Jongin confessed to me, right?”

      “Yes...And you turned him down...Are things still not ok between you two?”

      “I mean, they're getting there...but it'll take time...”

      “Did you wanna talk about it some more?”

      “No...It's not really Jongin I want to talk about...it's just that he kinda motivated me to take some steps I've been meaning to take...”

      “Like what?” Onew asked, still oblivious. Taemin internally groaned.

      “Like the fact that I like you and I have for a while,” he finally stated.

      “Oh...OH...” Onew fumbled, eyes going wide. Taemin's heart was pounding out of his chest.

      “Do you...like me...? Or not...?”

      “I...I like you,” Onew answered. Taemin stared at him with wide eyes.

      “Really!?”

      “Yeah...I have for a while, but I thought you liked Jongin until recently...I wasn't really sure how you felt about me though...”

      “I held your hand, didn't I?” Taemin pouted.

      “Yes, but you were always hugging Jongin and Sehun so that just seemed like skinship to me...” Onew muttered sadly.

 

      Taemin let out an exasperated sigh. Why was it so hard to confess to someone? Now he felt even worse for Jongin because it must have been horrifying for him. At least Taemin got the answer he wanted. Wait, he got the answer he wanted. Now what?

      “So...Are we a couple now?” Taemin asked, dumbfounded.

      “We can if you want to be,” Onew said shyly. “I'm definitely not against it.”

      “Alright...” Taemin said, shaking from happiness. “I really didn't think this through...I don't even know what to do now...”

      “There's not much to do, is there?” Onew asked. “Except go eat dinner.”

      “Oh right! Yeah, I'm really hungry,” he grumbled. Onew laughed.

      “Well, let's go then! Ah, but really quick, I have a request...”

      “What's that?”

      “Since we're boyfriends now, I want you to call me by my real name...if that's ok...”

      “Of course! Let's go eat dinner, Jinki~”

 

      Taemin held his hand out to Onew and the latter took it. After that, they raced towards the stairs, their stomachs growling and echoing throughout the staircase.

 

~*~

      As the group was gathering for dinner and setting things out for Chanyeol and Suho to cook, Taemin and Onew ran in, both out of breath and still holding hands. Jongin stared at them briefly, his eyes almost instantly focusing on the interconnected fingers, then he went back to what he was doing, biting his lip a little. Sehun had been sitting next to him, so he noticed everything. He nudged the boy on the shoulder.

      “You ok?” He whispered, so only the two of them could hear.

      “I'm fine,” Jongin said curtly. Sehun raised a brow.

      “You aren't upset?”

      “I said I was fine, didn't I?” Jongin asked impatiently.

      “Alright...I just wanted to make sure...You're my friend, ok? I want to be there if you need me.”

      “I know...Thank you...But I'm really ok,” Jongin insisted, forcing a smile. Sehun looked at him skeptically.

      “Whatever you say,” he sighed.

      “I just want to be happy for Taemin...I wanna give up gracefully.”

      “Well, that's all fine and good, but don't forget you have feelings that need to be taken care of as well. I'm always here for you.”

      “Thank you...Seems I have a lot of shoulders to support me,” Jongin said gently, glancing briefly at Chanyeol.

 

      Sehun raised a brow at the action, but didn't say anything. Now was the time to comfort Jongin, not harass him about who might become his next crush. Still, Sehun wasn't going to believe that there was nothing behind that glance. Even if Jongin didn't realize it yet, Sehun was already starting to see the sparks fly between those two.

 

      Literally. Chanyeol had just set a napkin on fire and half the people in the room had rushed forward, Jongin included, to try and put it out. Thank God for Suho. Sehun sighed as he watched the water guardian chastise Chanyeol. Suho was a whole other mountain to climb. Sehun just hoped that eventually, he would be able to understand him.


	14. Chapter 14

      Jongdae coughed as his body collided roughly with the ground for what felt like the millionth time. He wasn't given much time to rest before Tao grabbed him by the hair and landed several solid kicks to his back and side. Jongdae whimpered with each impact. Tears ran down his now black and blue cheeks. His lip was swollen and bloody. Still, Tao didn't let up until the robed man instructed.

      “That's enough, Tao,” he said darkly.

 

      Immediately, Tao ceased his actions, dropping Jongdae on the ground. The latter didn't even bother to move. The robed man walked over to him and knelt down. He grabbed Chen by the hair once more and jerked his head up so that he was looking at him.

      “Have you learned your lesson yet, you piece of shit?” The man hissed. Chen nodded, biting back a sob. “You could have ruined everything by letting them go...But since you at least got their blood for me, I'll let you and your useless boyfriend live a little longer. For now, stay here and reflect some more.”

 

      He dropped Jongdae's head and walked out of the cell, Tao following behind. He shut the door and the power blocking runes began to glow. Jongdae was completely helpless. He slowly curled up into a ball, whimpering as every inch of his body ached. He closed his eyes, wanting nothing more than to sleep off the pain.

      “Please come back soon, you two...”

 

      Outside his cell, the man and Tao walked down the hall a ways. When they were far enough away from the cell that Jongdae wouldn't hear, the man turned to Tao.

      “We're running out of time. I need the rest of the guardians' blood. Get it for me. Use whatever means necessary. And once you've gotten it, kill them. I don't need them complicating things further.”

 

      Tao nodded and walked away, heading out of the headquarters.

 

~*~

      A week of training had gone by. Everyone was making leaps and strides when it came to harnessing their new powers. Even Onew, Taemin, and Kris were getting better at fighting. After all the long days of training though, they depleted their stocked up meals pretty quickly. To Suho's dismay, it was already time for them to do another supply run.

 

      They gathered together and selected a store to raid. Thankfully, they had Jongin take them there directly. He'd gotten much better at teleporting and as long as people were holding on to him, or someone else who was holding on to him, he was able to transport them all. After they landed in the store, Suho put them each of them in charge of filling a basket of nonperishable food.

 

      Baekhyun had been frequently attached to Kris at the hip during most of the time that they weren't training. Kris didn't particularly mind this, however. After everything that had happened, he felt much more comfortable with Baekhyun in his sight. Halfway through their shopping though, Lay decided to go on a hunt for salvageable fruit, and Baekhyun decided to go with him. Kris had to repeatedly tell himself that Baekhyun wasn't alone and everything would be ok. It was amazing how overprotective he'd gotten in regards to the boy.

 

      Sehun hadn't failed to notice Kris's discomfort either. After Baekhyun had left with Lay, he walked over to Kris and started chattering away at him once more.

      “So...You and Baekhyun seem awfully close.”

      “Yeah, well...that's what happens when you're trying to survive the apocalypse together I guess...” Kris mumbled.

      “I guess...I'm here with you guys too though and Baekhyun hardly talks to me.”

      “Maybe it's because you've got your nose so far up Suho's ass,” Kris grumbled. Sehun huffed indignantly. “Plus you harass everyone about stuff like this, so I'm sure Baekhyun just doesn't want to talk to you.”

      “Maybe...I've never harassed Baekhyun though. If anything, I really feel for him.”

      “Oh? Why's that?”

      “Well, first off, we're both really gay,” Sehun stated bluntly. Kris paused momentarily.

      “How do you know that?”

      “Well, for one thing, I'm pretty good at reading people. And for another thing, Baekhyun was publicly outed and humiliated last year and it really did a number on him. I was one of the few kids that actively supported him, though looking back on it, I wish I'd done more. The bullying was really bad...I was too scared to get fully involved...”

      “That really happened to him?” Kris asked sadly.

 

      Baekhyun had always been rather shy and insecure, but Kris had no idea he'd been put through that kind of hell. Sehun nodded grimly.

      “Yeah. It was really bad for a while...He seemed to be doing a lot better lately though...at least, until the world started ending...”

      “Yeah...” Kris mumbled. Sehun let out an exasperated sigh.

      “Look, I'm not trying to be a downer, ok? The point I'm trying to make is Baekhyun seems comfortable with you, and that's something he hasn't felt for a while...So I don't know what your feelings for him are, but just...be careful with him, ok?”

      “You don't have to tell me that. I might be powerless, but I'm not gonna abandon him.”

      “I know...I'm just...worried about something...”

      “And what would that be?”

      “If Baekhyun liked you, what would you do?”

      “What?”

      “I told you, Baekhyun is gay. Maybe it's just me reading too far into it, but I feel like he likes you...And I've already had to comfort one heartbroken friend...So I wanted to know how you felt in case I need to comfort another one.”

      “I don't...know...” Kris muttered. “I never thought about it more than just wanting to be with him and making sure he was ok...”

      “Well, don't panic over it or freak out around him...Like I said, it could just be me assuming things...But if he does like you...think about it seriously and be gentle with him, ok?”

      “Yeah...Of course...”

 

      Sehun was about to switch to a lighter subject when the building around them shook. Sehun and Kris stared at each other with horror stricken expressions.

      “What was that?” Sehun asked nervously. Kris shook his head.

      “I don't know...We should find the others!”

 

      They grabbed their baskets and crept out of the aisle. They were so used to being attacked that sneaking about had become their default reaction. When they heard something land on the ground and break nearby as well as the sound of rushing water, they knew for sure that they were under attack.

 

      They quickly rushed out from the aisle, trying to locate the others. Kris was on the lookout for Baekhyun, already regretting ever letting the boy out of his sight. Sehun, in the meantime, was trying to follow the sounds of water, since that would lead to Suho.

 

      Finally, Sehun spotted the red-headed man. He was in the middle of batting away imps and drowning them in orbs of water. Jongin was nearby, hiding behind Chanyeol for protection. Minseok and Luhan were close to them as well, protecting Onew and Taemin.

      “Jongin!” Suho shouted, glancing over to the boy. “Get the supplies out of here!”

      “But...” Jongin protested.

      “Just do it! If we don't get supplies, then this was for nothing! Get Onew, Taemin, and Kris out of here as well! In the meantime, we'll try and move outside so that we have more room to fight!”

      “A-Alright...” Jongin agreed in defeat.

 

      He grabbed some of the baskets they'd gathered, then ran over to Onew and Taemin. The two grabbed on to him and seconds later they were gone. Another swarm of monsters rushed in through the windows and the group scattered to avoid them. Sehun had grabbed on to Kris's wrist and was pulling him along. Kris was still lagging behind, looking for Baekhyun though.

 

      When they made it outside, a wolf instantly attacked them. Sehun ducked and sent it flying away with a gust of wind. He'd lost his grip on Kris in the process however.

      “I'm going to find Baekhyun!” Kris stated, already running off in a different direction.

      “Kris, wait! You need to go back with Jongin!” Sehun called.

 

      He was unable to run after Kris as two more wolves attacked him. Sehun grumbled under his breath. Now he was completely alone fighting these things and Kris was probably as good as dead unless he found Baekhyun quickly.

 

      Sehun glanced around. There were no other guardians in sight. Were the monsters trying to separate them? If so, they were doing a damn good job of it. Sehun just hoped the others were safe.

 

~*~

      Suho had managed to make it out of the building. He had much more room to fight without worry, but he'd gotten separated from everyone else. The monsters seemed to be driving him further and further away from the store as well. He was trying to fight back and stay close, but there was only so much he could do without getting torn to shreds while holding his ground.

 

      Eventually, Suho managed to bring down most of the monsters surrounding him. The rest seemed to have lost interest in him and were heading back to the store, but Suho didn't understand why. He sighed at the brief respite, noticing just how far he'd been pushed away from the store. He was about to start making his way back when he spotted someone in the corner of his vision. He turned to look at them, only for them to jump locations instantly. Soon, that person was right in front of Suho, trying to strike.

 

      Suho jumped backwards, away from the newcomer. His eyes narrowed as he got a good look at his attacker. It was a young boy, much taller than him, with dark hair and a menacing demeanor. The boy unsheathed a sword from behind his back and assumed a fighting stance.

 

      Within the blink of an eye, the boy was in front of Suho again, but the latter rapidly pushed him away with a wave of water. This boy's power seemed similar to Kai's, but something was different. Kai disappeared briefly each time he teleported. This person never disappeared. He just seemed to transport closer instantaneously.

 

      The boy was on his feet again almost as soon as he hit the ground from Suho's attack. Suho tried his best to keep him away, but it was proving impossible. Time itself seemed to be fighting against Suho. His eyes widened in realization.

      “You're the time controller...” He gasped.

 

      The other boy said nothing, but he tried to strike Suho again. The water guardian had to be one step ahead of him at all times in order to avoid him. It was hard to predict a move that hadn't happened yet though. At one point, the time controller managed to dodge his water blow and grazed his arm with the blade. Suho hissed in pain and quickly used the water to blast himself backwards, away from his assailant.

 

      There was little Suho could do in a battle against time. Before he'd even landed on his feet again, the time controller was upon him once more. Suho did his best to lash at him with a whip of water, but it was no use. He felt an immense pain in his side as the time controller plunged the sword into his body. His voice initially caught in his throat from shock, but finally, a bloodcurdling scream escaped.

 

      The time controller withdrew his sword, and Suho crumbled to the ground, gripping at his bloody side. The other boy stared down at him with soulless eyes. He sheathed his sword once more and pulled a small vial out of his pocket. He knelt down beside Suho and pulled his hand away from his injury so he had access to it.

 

      Suho tried to fight back, but he was in too much pain and shock to do much of anything. The time controller placed the vial against his wound and watched as blood trickled quickly into it. When it was full, the time controller let go of Suho, pushing him away roughly. Suho gasped and cried out in pain once more, holding his gaping side as if it would help stop the bleeding and the pain.

 

      The time controller put a cap on the vial and tucked it away. After that, he got to his feet and closed his eyes, trying to sense where his next target would be. Suho grabbed at his ankle in a last effort to stop him.

      “W-Why...?” He gasped out.

 

      He didn't understand how another guardian could so willingly fight against them. The time controller never answered him. Instead, he kicked his hand off with ease and started walking away, leaving the other boy to bleed out.


	15. Chapter 15

      Jongin had managed to bring all the supplies back to the base. Thankfully, he was able to teleport a lot more before the headache set in. He would still have to come back several times for all the others though, especially now that they had been separated during the course of battle.

 

      The first priorities were Taemin, Onew, and Kris, since their only weapons were their fists. Taemin and Onew had been nearby Jongin when disaster struck, so he at least knew relatively where to find them. They were the first that he got back to the base. Kris had disappeared somewhere though, so Jongin was going to have to find him.

 

      He searched through the store, but found only monsters. At that point, he ran outside in a pathetic attempt to get away. That was when he spotted Minseok and Luhan fighting back to back. He rushed over to them, mostly in an attempt to stay safe and shake the monsters pursuing him. Luhan and Minseok seemed to get the message and quickly turned their attention to saving Jongin.

 

      When they had killed most of the monsters around them and there was a moment to breathe, Jongin grabbed both of them and teleported them back to the base. He didn't stay long enough in the base to even hear their words of gratitude. Jongin still had far too many people to save to waste any time.

 

      When he got back to the battle, he was instantly targeted by monsters once more. He groaned, regretting that his power had no offensive capabilities. It was time to run for his life and search for the next guardian that would protect him.

 

      That person happened to be none other than Chanyeol. The fire guardian noticed Jongin instantly and ran over to meet him. Jongin was shaking and out of breath by then, so he was more than happy to have Chanyeol take over. Jongin bent forward, gasping and coughing as Chanyeol incinerated everything around them. When the coast was clear, Jongin stood up tiredly and grabbed Chanyeol's hand.

      “We need to go,” he said in between pants. Chanyeol shook his head.

      “You're gonna wear yourself out. Let's find some other guardians first and let you rest a bit...Besides-”

 

      He was cut off by an oncoming wolf. He pulled Jongin to his chest with one hand and thrust the other out in the direction of the wolf, sending out a blast of fire and stopping it dead in its tracks. Jongin mentally berated himself as he felt his cheeks flush. There was just something about Chanyeol's body that was so warm and inviting. If it weren't for the situation they were currently in, Jongin wasn't sure he'd be able to pull away.

      “You're going to need someone to protect you,” Chanyeol finished, sighing at the end.

 

      Jongin pulled away slightly and looked up at Chanyeol. The latter's hand was still on his lower back. Jongin really liked the way that felt. Now was not the time though.

      “Ok...” He replied softly. “Let's find the others then...”

 

      With that, the two set off. Chanyeol was clearing a path easily with his flames, but the other guardians were extremely spread out. Finding them was going to be a much harder task than Jongin had anticipated.

 

~*~

      Sehun had been looking around for any trace of the other guardians. Kris had long since disappeared, so Sehun could only hope that he had found Baekhyun and Lay. His mind quickly started to wander to thoughts of the water guardian. Suho could hold his own in battle more than any of the others could, but something just felt off to Sehun. He couldn't quite place it, but his gut was churning uncomfortably.

 

      He glanced around, trying to find some semblance of liquid thrashing about in the distance, listening for the sound of flowing water. It was unnerving that he couldn't find a single trace of Suho. He could still hear Chanyeol's flames blazing in the distance after all. Either Suho had been pushed far away from the store, or something was wrong. It could possibly be both.

 

      Sehun called out for Suho, knowing it was a futile attempt. To his surprise, a strong gust of wind blew past him to the west. Sehun hadn't commanded the wind, but the gust felt too strong and concentrated to be naturally occurring. He called out for Suho again and the wind blew once more, in the same direction. Was it leading him? There was only one way to find out.

 

      Sehun ran in the direction that the wind was blowing. As monsters attacked him, the gust immediately bashed them away. Was Sehun doing this unconsciously? Without even realizing it, was the wind really leading and protecting him?

 

      The further he got from the store, the sparser the monsters became. Sehun was starting to wonder if the wind was leading him to safety rather than Suho. In any normal situation, Sehun wouldn't have minded, but in this case, he would rather be in danger and find Suho than be safe and alone.

 

      His questions were answered when his eyes spotted a body on the ground in the distance. Sehun gasped, his heart pounding out of his chest from fear more so than running. He approached the body slowly, until he realized that it was definitely Suho, recognizing the red hair anywhere. He sprinted over then fell to his knees beside the older boy. He almost screamed when he saw the amount of blood staining the ground, but he knew it wouldn't help anything and would probably give away their location.

      “Suho!” he called out fearfully, placing his hands on the boy's shoulders. “Suho! Oh my God, what happened...!?”

 

      Suho wheezed and gasped. That seemed to be the only response he was capable of giving Sehun. The younger boy, bit his lip and tried to force back tears. He carefully lifted Suho by the shoulders and laid his head on his lap. Suho let out a small yelp in response to the action. Sehun apologized repeatedly, as if the more he said it, the more it would help. He ran his hand along Suho's cheek, noting how cold his skin felt. This was really bad. If Lay didn't heal him soon, it was going to be all over.

 

      Sehun glanced around them. There were no monsters in sight, but no guardians either. There was no way Sehun was going to be able to bring Suho to Lay in this state. And he couldn't exactly call Lay here either. There was nothing he could do.

 

      Sehun's shoulders shook and tears started running down his cheeks. He hated feeling so absolutely powerless. He had super powers, but he was still unable to do anything for Suho. He couldn't even take any of his pain away.

 

      Sehun's sobs grew stronger as despair set in. He gripped at Suho's shoulders in a pathetic attempt to comfort him, but with tears and snot now running down his face, he doubted it would help the dying boy. Sehun was surprised when he felt a shaky hand rest on top of his. He stopped his crying long enough to glance down at Suho. The boy was staring up at him with pained, tired eyes, but Sehun could see genuine concern in them all the same. Even when he was dying, Suho was looking out for Sehun. He couldn't let Suho die like this.

 

      Sehun used his free hand to wipe the tears and snot from his face. He took a calming breath and tried to think of what he could do. If the wind had guided him here, maybe it could guide Lay as well. Sehun really had nothing to lose at this point. He took a deep breath and shouted at the top of his lungs.

      “LAY!!!”

 

      He felt the wind blast past him, so quickly that it actually gave him a chill. He could only pray that it would work and that Lay would get here in time. His attention immediately returned to the dying boy in his arms. Sehun leaned over so that their foreheads were almost touching. He ran his fingers through Suho's hair and along his cheek with one hand, and laced the fingers of his other hand together with Suho's. After that, all he could do was whisper gentle words of encouragement.

      “It's gonna be ok...Lay will come. You just need to hold on, ok? I'm here with you...You'll be ok...”

 

      Sehun wasn't sure if he or Suho believed any of what he was spouting off. He could only pray and wait.

 

~*~

      Baekhyun and Lay had run away from the store hand in hand once the monsters had attacked. Lay was defenseless and Baekhyun wasn't much better off, but he could at least blind the monsters and clear a safe path. Still, as the monsters became more numerous and relentless, Baekhyun found that he was mostly trying to keep them away rather than clear a path.

 

      Lay stayed by him for most of it, but Baekhyun was shining a bit too brightly for him to handle. Lay had gradually backed away, staying close enough to Baekhyun that the light would shield him, but far enough away that he didn't feel like he was taking permanent damage to his vision.

 

      He spotted someone in the distance that made him completely forget he was in danger and that he should stay by Baekhyun though. It was Tao. Lay didn't even hesitate to run over to the black haired boy, even though his brain repeatedly warned him it was dangerous to approach him.

      “Tao!” He called out.

 

      The time controller stared at Lay with dead eyes. It was so unnerving, Lay actually stopped a few feet away from Tao, afraid to approach any further. He held his hands up in front of him, as if that would protect him from Tao or convince him not to attack.

      “Tao...It's me, Lay...”

 

      Tao's eyes narrowed and he reached his hand behind him and pulled out his sword from its sheath. Lay took a fearful step back, but he refused to give up on Tao.

      “Tao...Don't do this...I know you don't want this...”

 

      Seconds later, Tao's foot connected with Lay's stomach, sending him falling backwards and gasping for air. Tao didn't hesitate to slash at Lay with his sword, cutting his arm open. Lay coughed, trying to regain his breath. As his arm dripped blood, Tao knelt down, forcing Lay to stay still with one hand and gathering the blood into a vial with the other. When he was done, he shoved Lay's head down to the ground and stood up, hovering his sword over Lay's throat.

      “Tao, please...Don't do this...It's me, Yixing...”

 

      Lay noticed the sword shaking above his neck, but never delivering the final blow. He glanced up and noticed tears welling in Tao's otherwise dead eyes. Tao was still in there, Lay knew it. There was no way he wanted this. Lay had to save him somehow.

      “Tao...It's ok...I can help you...Just put the sword down...”

 

      The tears in his eyes ceased and he was back to the heartless killer seconds later. He raised his sword and Lay prepared for the worst. Suddenly, another voice shouted out.

      “DON'T YOU DARE!!!”

 

      It was Kris. He charged at Tao at full speed. Lay wanted to shout at him to stay away, but he wasn't fast enough. To his surprise, Tao seemed to be just as shocked by the sight of the blond. Kris grabbed Tao's arms and pulled him away from Lay. He twisted Tao's arm in such a way that he dropped the sword. After that, it became a matter of continuously overpowering Tao and confining him.

      “Tao! What the hell is wrong with you!? It's me, Kris!”

 

      Tao stopped struggling momentarily, as if the name registered in his mind for a second. He was back to thrashing about in Kris's arms soon after. Finally, he connected his knee with Kris's groin, causing the latter to instantly let go of him and crumple to the ground in pain. Tao turned and picked up his sword.

      “Tao don't!” Lay begged, trying to move closer to Kris.

 

      Tao simply kicked Lay away and refocused his attention on offing Kris. Before he could strike, he was shoved away by yet another person.

      “Get away from them,” Baekhyun growled.

 

      Tao sneered at him and got back to his feet. Before he even got the chance to get into a fighting stance, Baekhyun flashed brightly. Tao screamed out in agony and turned away. Baekhyun hadn't expected his attack to affect Tao so much, but he was more than fine with this result. He flashed brightly once more and Tao couldn't bear the light any longer. He quickly retreated, leaving Baekhyun alone with the other two.

 

      Baekhyun let out a tired sigh of relief. He might have gotten better at his power, but that didn't mean he wasn't wearing himself out with each flash. He quickly remembered that Kris seemed hurt and knelt beside him, rubbing his back.

      “Are you ok?” Baekhyun asked gently. Kris nodded slightly.

      “Yeah...” He managed to answer. Lay crawled over and placed his hand on Kris's back. Baekhyun watched as it glowed green.

      “I'm so sorry, Kris...” The healer whispered.

      “Don't be...He hurt you too...”

      “Who was that...?” Baekhyun asked nervously.

      “Tao...” Lay whispered.

 

      Baekhyun bit his lip and nodded slowly. He didn't know the full story, but from what he could tell, Tao meant a lot to both Lay and Kris. Bakehyun wrapped his arm around Kris's back in an attempt to comfort him and was surprised when the boy leaned against Baekhyun's chest.

 

      The battle around them seemed to be quieting down. They had been completely separated from the others, but hopefully everyone was still alive. Baekhyun stiffened as he saw a wolf approaching them. He was getting ready to flash again, but a wave of flames stopped the wolf in its tracks. Soon enough, Chanyeol and Jongin were running over to them.

      “Are you guys ok!?” The fire guardian called out.

      “Yeah!” Lay answered. “Just had a run-in with Tao...That's all...” Chanyeol looked down at him grimly and Jongin unconsciously clung to his arm.

      “Did he hurt you?” The fire guardian asked.

      “A little, but I've already healed both myself and Kris,” Lay sighed. “Tao got my blood though...”

      “Shit...” Chanyeol mumbled.

      “What about the others?” Baekhyun asked worriedly. “Is everyone alright?”

      “Taemin, Onew, Luhan, and Minseok are all back at the hideout,” Jongin answered.

      “So that leaves Sehun and Suho...” Chanyeol sighed. “You haven't seen them at all?”

      “I was with Sehun when all this started, but we separated...” Kris mumbled.

 

      Chanyeol nodded and looked around. He hadn't seen any trace of the water guardian, and that worried him. Usually he and Suho were quite conspicuous with their giant displays of water and fire. Adding Sehun, who basically controlled the wind, and it was ill-boding that they hadn't even seen a trace of either of them. As if on cue, a massive gust of wind blew by, spiraling around them. The wind carried a voice with it. It was distant and wispy sound, but still clearly understandable.

      “LAY!!!”

 

      The healer's eyes went wide and he stared up at Chanyeol. The fire guardian looked just as surprised.

      “That was Sehun...” Lay breathed.

 

      The wind whirled around them again and the voice repeated. Sehun sounded completely desperate. Lay got to his feet and the wind blew past him to the north, practically tugging him along.

      “What's going on...?” Baekhyun asked.

      “It's leading me somewhere I think...” Lay practically whispered, in a daze.

      “You think Sehun is doing this?” Jongin asked.

      “It could only be him,” Chanyeol sighed. “Lay, if he's asking for you, you know what that means.”

      “I know. I need to go to him. Now.” The healer answered.

      “I'll come with you,” Chanyeol stated. He turned to Jongin and smiled gently. “Take Baekhyun and Kris back to the base, ok? I'm going to find Sehun and Suho with Lay.”

      “But what if I can't find you again?” Jongin asked worriedly. Chanyeol grabbed his hand and gave it a comforting squeeze.”

      “I'll send fire up into the sky to act as a flare. You'll be able to see that, right?”

      “Y-Yeah...”

      “Good. Now take them back.”

 

      Jongin nodded and held out his hands for Baekhyun and Kris to take. At the same time, Chanyeol and Lay ran off in the direction that the wind was blowing. They could only hope they weren't too late.

 

      They ran for some time, not stopping despite burning lungs and aching muscles. Finally, they approached two figures on the ground. One was hunched over the other. Lay recognized their broad shoulders as Sehun's. He sprinted as fast as he good, letting his worry push him through exhaustion. He slid to a stop, and more or less to his knees, right beside Sehun.

 

      The wind guardian jumped at the sudden entrance of the healer. His cheeks were covered in tears and it took a moment before he was able to realize that Lay was actually here.

      “Lay...” He whimpered. “Suho...He's...

      “What happened?” Lay asked, immediately leaning over Suho to inspect the damage.

      “I...I don't know...” Sehun sobbed. “I found him like this...He's dying Lay...You have to help him!”

      “I will, Sehun. Just calm down.”

 

      Lay's eyes spotted the hole in Suho's side. Blood was bubbling and pooling out of it slowly. Lay suppressed the urge to gag and quickly hovered his hand over Suho's wound. As he was healing Suho, he realized that his blood seemed to be moving very evenly throughout his body, despite the gaping hole. Not only that, but he hadn't lost nearly as much as he would have normally. Suho should have died already.

      “Chanyeol...?” Lay asked cautiously.

 

      The fire guardian had been watching the scene unfold a few feet away, looking pale and like he was about to puke. Upon hearing his name, he jumped.

      “Y-Yeah...?” He responded dazedly.

      “How trained are Suho's powers...?” Lay proceeded to ask.

      “He's had them for most of his life I think, so pretty far...Why?”

      “Does he know how to control blood?” The healer questioned. Sehun looked at him with wide eyes.

      “I think he's done it once before...” Chanyeol mumbled. “He told me about it, but it was kinda traumatizing for him, so he hasn't done it since then...”

      “Well, he's doing it now and that saved his life...” Lay sighed.

      “What do you mean?” Sehun asked.

      “He kept himself from bleeding out by forcing his blood to stay inside his body. Obviously he couldn't completely control it, but if he hadn't, he would have bled to death in minutes...”

      “So he's gonna be alright?” Sehun asked fearfully. Lay smiled and nodded.

      “I'm almost done healing the damage...He still lost a lot of blood though, so he's gonna need to rest.”

      “Thank you, Lay,” Sehun breathed in relief, leaning against the healer in gratitude.

 

      Lay smiled gently and nodded, continuing to heal the now unconscious water guardian. His eyes narrowed slightly as he stared at the wound. It looked like Suho had been stabbed, and Lay was fairly certain he knew who had been holding the sword. Tao had done this. He had almost killed Suho. What on earth was going on with him?

 

      Chanyeol relaxed upon hearing that Suho would be ok. He decided to send a few blasts of fire in the air, in case Kai was looking for them. A few minutes later, the boy teleported a few feet away from them. He ran over to Chanyeol and smiled, looking relieved that he had found the fire guardian. He glanced at Suho and his eyes widened. Chanyeol grabbed his hand and gave it another comforting squeeze.

      “He's ok, Jongin,” Chanyeol whispered. “We got here in time.”

      “Thank goodness,” Jongin sighed.

 

      Chanyeol smiled and laced his fingers together with Jongin. The teleporter blushed slightly, not used to that action, but he didn't pull away. Chanyeol's hands were warm and comforting. After everything that had just happened, they all needed as much reassurance as they could get that they were ok.

 

      It took a while for Lay to fully heal Suho. The sword had gone completely through his body and a few of his organs had been hit in the process. Thankfully, he was able to fix all the damage. When he was done, he sighed and patted Sehun's shoulder. After that, he looked up at Chanyeol and nodded.

      “Alright, Jongin,” the fire guardian started. “Take us home.”

 

      Jongin held his other hand out to Lay. The healer took it, then latched his arm around Sehun's. The wind guardian had Suho cuddled in both of his arms, and there was no way he was letting go any time soon. When they'd all been linked together in some way, Jongin teleported them back to the base.


	16. Chapter 16

      That night, Sehun laid beside Suho on the mattress. They were both on their sides, facing each other. Sehun and Chanyeol had cleaned Suho up earlier and gotten him in a new shirt, so he was no longer a bloody mess, but he still seemed weak and had yet to regain consciousness. Sehun felt so anxious, he was borderline nauseous. Even when Lay reassured him and told him to let Suho rest, Sehun could only think back to the dark red puddle forming under Suho and his cold hand on top of Sehun's.

 

      Sehun sighed and ran his hand along Suho's cheek. After, he grabbed Suho's hand, holding it in front of their faces. It was already a lot warmer than it had been earlier. Sehun figured he should take that as a good sign. It was so hard to wait for Suho to wake up though. The other boy groaned suddenly and Sehun's heart practically jumped out of his rib cage. He hadn't expected his internal fretting to actually end this quickly. After what felt like an eternity, Suho opened his eyes.

      “Sehun...?” He asked, his voice hoarse and shaky. Sehun squeezed his hand.

      “I'm here,” he whispered, leaning closer so his face was just a few inches from Suho's.

      “What happened...?”

      “That's what I want to know,” Sehun whined dramatically. “When I found you, you were bleeding out...”

      “The time controller attacked me...”

      “Another guardian?” Sehun asked. Suho nodded.

      “He took my blood...”

      “Pretty sure he left you in a puddle of it,” Sehun grumbled. Suho smiled gently.

      “We're back at the base...” He mumbled, eyes traveling around the room.

      “Jongin brought us back after Lay healed you.”

      “I don't remember anything after you found me...”

      “You were dying, so I guess you were pretty out of it,” Sehun sighed. “I called for Lay...I don't really know how, but it worked so...”

      “You saved me.”

      “Well, yeah...I wasn't going to just leave you...”

      “I guess I owe you now,” Suho said softly. Sehun looked down and squeezed his hand.

      “I don't care about that kind of thing...I'm just glad you're ok.”

 

      Suho smiled and shifted so he was closer to Sehun. Their faces were still inches from each other, but Sehun could feel Suho's breath tickling his nose. Normally, Sehun would have told him to 'back the fuck up,' but given everything that had happened, he was thankful to be this close to Suho and feeling his breath on his nose. A small part of Sehun almost wished Suho would come even closer.

      “Suho's not my real name, you know,” the boy whispered suddenly.

      “I'd pity you if it was,” Sehun responded, regretting not controlling his sarcasm better as Suho frowned. “What is your real name?” Sehun quickly asked, hoping to recover. Suho rolled his eyes.

      “Kim Joonmyun.”

      “It's nice...Why'd you change to Suho?”

      “I was trying to be bigger and stronger than I actually was,” the other sighed. “It just stuck after that.”

      “I think Joonmyun sounds nicer.”

      “I'm glad...You can call me that if you'd like.”

      “I think I will,” Sehun answered sheepishly.

 

      Suho smiled once more and placed his forehead against Sehun's. Now their noses were touching and their lips were centimeters away. Sehun cursed himself as his heartbeat sped up. Suho didn't seem to notice, or perhaps he just didn't care, because seconds later, he draped his free arm over Sehun's torso, snuggling him closer.

      “Thank you...” He whispered, closing his eyes to rest once more.

 

      Sehun let out a shaky breath and closed his eyes as well, trying to sleep. He had to commend Suho for being able to sleep so easily in this position, but the other was probably a lot more worn out than Sehun was. Still, the younger boy didn't mind being this close to Suho, nor did he mind the other's arm around his waist. It was a feeling that he could get used to. At least, if his heart calmed down a little. Perhaps that would come with time.

 

~*~

      Chanyeol had chosen to stand watch that night. Everyone seemed exhausted and scared from the fight, and Suho was definitely in no position to be leading the group, so Chanyeol chose to step up. Standing watch was usually nothing to fear, but after the attack they'd experienced that day, Chanyeol was pretty jumpy and on edge. That's why he practically jumped out of his skin when Jongin sat down beside him suddenly.

      “You ok?” Jongin asked worriedly.

      “Yeah...You just scared me...”

      “Sorry...”

      “It's alright,” Chanyeol comforted, grinning widely.

      “How are you feeling?”

      “Hm?”

      “Well...Suho almost died...and with everything that happened today...I was wondering if you were doing ok...” Jongin muttered, tapping his fingers together nervously.

      “I'm ok,” Chanyeol said softly. “Not great, but I'm ok.”

      “Is there anything I can do to help...?” Jongin asked gently. Chanyeol stared at him for a moment.

      “Will you stay with me?” He finally whispered, his voice shaking and cracking slightly.

 

      Jongin nodded rapidly and scooted closer so that their sides were touching. Jongin didn't say much else, but each time Chanyeol glanced at him, the younger boy offered a timid smile. Gradually, Chanyeol felt his eyes water, and he wiped the tears away. The events of that day really had affected him, whether he wanted to admit it or not. Finally, Jongin whispered something to him.

      “You don't have to act strong. You can cry.”

 

      Chanyeol choked back a sob and smiled brokenly at Jongin. He usually wasn't fazed by battles, so he didn't know why today he couldn't handle it. Perhaps it was because Suho almost died. That had definitely scared him.

 

      Jongin leaned on him, looking up at him worriedly. Chanyeol then snaked his arm around Jongin's shoulder and pulled him close. His other hand was constantly wiping tears away and covering his mouth when he couldn't help but cry. Jongin snuggled into his chest, letting himself be held and trying to provide some of the comfort that Chanyeol had once provided for him.

 

      Chanyeol cried for quite some time, but Jongin never left his side. He might have dozed off a few times, but he tried be there for Chanyeol as much as possible. Even when Chanyeol had calmed down, he still held Jongin close. Chanyeol was so warm that Jongin didn't think he would need a blanket if he fell asleep for good, which was becoming more and more of a reality as his eyelids grew impossibly heavy. Soon enough, he was passed out on Chanyeol's chest.

 

      The fire guardian rubbed his eyes, skin now taut from dried tears. He glanced down at Jongin and couldn't help the smile on his face. Jongin really was endearing. Chanyeol sighed and snuggled the boy closer, resting his head on top of the younger's. As the sun started rising in the sky, another person woke up and sat across from Chanyeol.

      “Morning,” Taemin greeted quietly.

      “Mornin. You can sleep more, you know,” Chanyeol responded. Taemin shook his head.

      “I barely slept through the night as it is...Still pretty wired from yesterday...”

      “Yeah...I understand how you feel,” Chanyeol sighed. Taemin nodded silently and his gaze shifted to Jongin.

      “He seems really comfortable with you,” Taemin stated, smiling a bit at the end.

      “Yeah? Well, we've been through a lot together, so I guess he warmed up to me?”

      “I'm glad he did,” Taemin sighed. “Jongin struggles to make friends.”

      “He seems like such a sweet kid though...”

      “He is. He's one of the sweetest people I know...But he's also one of the shyest...He tends to cling to people he knows well and keep a lot to himself.”

      “Did he cling to you?” Chanyeol asked curiously.

      “At one point, yeah...But ever since he confessed to me and I turned him down, I guess you could say we drifted apart a little...I mean, we both still care about each other...but I'm not the one he turns to anymore when he needs someone.”

      “He doesn't hate you though...”

      “I know. But his pillar of support seems to be changing...He's getting attached to you now...” There was a moment of silence. “How do you feel about him?”

      “I dunno...I haven't given it much thought, I guess...But I do care about him...and I want him to be ok...and to be happy...” Chanyeol answered. Taemin nodded.

      “It would be really nice if Jongin could find someone that he can be comfortable with...And let his guard down around...Someone who loves him.”

      “I want that for him too,” Chanyeol agreed.

      “Will you look out for him?”

      “I will...But I think Jongin can look after himself too. He's stronger than we give him credit for.”

 

      Taemin smiled and nodded in agreement. He glanced through the sliver in between the metal grate and the wall, watching as the sky changed to several different shades of blue as the sun rose. A few hours later, everyone in the room began to stir. It was a peaceful, silent morning, but exhaustion and anxiety still lingered in the air. Somehow, it felt like the night had never come. It was going to be a long day, hiding in fear.

 

~*~

      The group didn't dare train that day. Even if they stayed within the building, they were worried that any noise might attract the beasts. Not only that, but Baekhyun's light would lead the monsters right to them. Instead, Chanyeol gave everyone another much needed day of rest. He spent half of it sleeping after being up all night as well.

 

      Some of the others were feeling antsy and needed time alone or to stretch their legs, so they found themselves heading up to some of the higher floors of the factory for a change of scenery. That was how Baekhyun found himself sitting in the corner of a room on the third floor, watching the sun set in the sky. He jumped slightly when he heard the door to the room open.

      “Hey,” Kris said gently. Baekhyun relaxed and smiled.

      “What's up?” He asked gently.

      “Nothing much...Just trying to find you. Chanyeol and Suho are working on dinner...”

      “They're both feeling up to that?” Baekhyun asked, surprised.

      “Well, Suho's conscious now and all we need is hot water for the ramyun so...”

      “I see...I'll be down in a bit. I wanna watch the sunset.” Kris nodded and walked over to Baekhyun.

      “Mind if I join you?”

      “Go ahead.”

 

      Kris sat down beside Baekhyun and sighed. The view was nice from where they sat, even if they were on the opposite end of the room from the window. Kris figured Baekhyun was afraid to be spotted from the air. As they sat in silence, Baekhyun began fidgeting and twirling his fingers, as if something was bothering him.

      “You ok?” Kris asked nervously. Baekhyun looked at him with mixed emotions.

      “I was just...wondering some things...”

      “What's on your mind? I'll listen.”

      “That guy...the one that attacked Lay and almost hurt you...Who was he?”

      “That...was Tao,” Kris said sadly. “He was our childhood friend, and Lay and I really cared for him...It's really hard seeing him like this now, you know?”

      “I can only imagine...” Baekhyun mumbled sadly.

 

      He couldn't help the constricting feeling in his chest. Why did he have to feel slightly jealous over the most idiotic things? He should be comforting Kris. Instead, he wanted nothing more than to be just as important to him as Tao seemed to be, if not more so. Why did he always have to be so petty? Kris seemed to notice Baekhyun's conflicted feelings because he leaned closer.

      “You know I won't let him hurt you, right? Lay and I will bring him back...” There was silence, but Baekhyun nodded. “Is there something else upsetting you?”

      “Do I bother you?” Baekhyun asked suddenly. Kris's eyes widened.

      “Of course not! Why would you think that!?”

      “I've just...been clinging to you a lot lately and I'm scared that I'll become a nuisance to you...” The boy wrapped his hands around his torso, his fingertips rubbing the ends of upraised scars underneath his shirt.

      “You will never be a nuisance to me,” Kris stated firmly, wrapping his arm around Baekhyun's back and pulling him closer.

 

      Baekhyun stared into Kris's eyes, searching for something, anything that would indicate Kris was lying to him. Kris simply stared back at him with genuine, concerned eyes. Baekhyun's face flushed slightly and he looked like he was debating whether or not he should do something. Suddenly, he closed the distance between his lips and Kris's, only for a brief moment, before pulling away and looking down at the ground.

      “I'm sorry...” He whispered. “I'm so sorry...I've liked you ever since we started talking...But I never should have done that...I'm so sorry...”

      “Baekhyun...Calm down, it's ok,” Kris soothed. “I'm not mad at you, ok?”

      “But you don't like me like that...right? I shouldn't have done that...”

 

      Kris hushed him once more, rubbing his back. He could feel Baekhyun's scars through the cloth and a rush of memories flooded his mind. Sehun's words echoed in his head. Don't lead Baekhyun on or hurt him. Did he love Baekhyun? He wasn't sure. He'd never been in love before. Did he like Baekhyun? Definitely. Did he want to protect him? Of course, although Baekhyun was in a far more likely position to protect Kris instead. So what should he gauge his feelings on?

 

      Did he mind when Baekhyun had kissed him? He hadn't. It had surprised him, yes, but he didn't mind one bit. Did he want to kiss Baekhyun again? Maybe. Did he want to hold Baekhyun? He already did, more often than he realized. Perhaps he was already far closer to the boy than he realized.

      “I don't know if I love you, Baekhyun,” Kris said gently. “But I know that I care so much for you...And I want to be with you...So can we try?”

      “Try what...?” Baekhyun asked, afraid to get excited.

      “Being in a relationship...”

      “Are you doing this out of pity?” Baekhyun asked nervously.

 

      Kris leaned forward and connected their lips timidly. Rather than pulling away immediately like Baekhyun had, he deepened the kiss slightly, nibbling at the other's bottom lip. He felt Baekhyun gasp, then sigh, as he relaxed into the kiss. When Kris finally broke away, he kept his face centimeters from Baekhyun's.

      “I'm being serious, Baekhyun. You mean so much to me, and I don't think I could handle it if I lost you. That has to count for something other than pity, right?” Kris whispered against his lips. Baekhyun choked back a sob. “I want to be with you, Baekhyun...”

      “I like you...I like you so much...Please stay with me...”

      “I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere.”

 

      Baekhyun wiped at his eyes. Now wasn't a time to be crying. He'd just gotten a boyfriend after all. Kris snuggled Baekhyun close, so that the boy was practically in his lap, and they continued watching the sun set in the sky. Baekhyun couldn't help but steal glances at Kris from time to time. Whenever Kris caught him staring, Baekhyun received a kiss on his forehead, nose, or lips. He wondered if his breath would ever stop hitching each time Kris's lips met his. He hoped the feeling wouldn't fade too soon.

 

      When the sun was below the horizon and the sky was turning a deep shade of blue, the two decided it was finally time to go down and eat possibly cold ramyun. They weren't too concerned though. After all, Chanyeol could warm it up again for them.

 

      Kris held Baekhyun's hand the entire way. The latter couldn't force back his smile. Seeing such a wide grin on Baekhyun's face definitely made Kris feel happy. It might have been a pathetic, vague confession on his part, but he was certain that the feelings were there. After all, nobody's smile made Kris feel quite the same way that Baekhyun's did.


	17. Chapter 17

      Jongin was standing in the middle of a large courtyard. The wind whistled around him, so strong it almost knocked him over. Despite being solidly on the ground, somehow he didn't feel quite stable. When he glanced around, there were clouds around him, so close he could almost touch them. Finally, his eyes rested on a large, ancient looking building. The pillars and walls were embellished with gold designs and marble statues. He walked cautiously over to one of the pillars, running his fingertips along it. It was smooth and cool to the touch. A warm breeze blew past, tickling his cheeks. It carried a message with it.

      “This is your safe haven. Come here when you feel threatened.”

 

      Jongin's brow furrowed. What did that mean? Suddenly, the world around him began shifting and shaking. He vaguely heard someone calling his name. As the voice got clearer, the scenery around him slowly disappeared until light flooded his vision.

      “Jongin! Jongin, it's time to wake up,” Chanyeol's voice called out gently. Jongin groaned and covered his eyes, blocking out the light of the candle Chanyeol was holding. “You ok?” Chanyeol asked.

      “Yeah...Weird dream...Sorry...”

      “It's fine,” the other boy soothed, ruffling Jongin's hair slightly. He didn't notice the way Jongin's cheeks turned red at his touch. “I just wanted to wake you up. We're gonna have to do another supply run after breakfast...”

      “Oh...” Jongin mumbled nervously. He sat up, rubbing his eyes.

 

      It had been about a week since their last run when everyone had been attacked. Suho was recovering, but he was still really weak. As a result, Chanyeol had stepped up somewhat, but he wasn't particularly good at planning or leading, so Lay helped look out for everyone as well. Still, Chanyeol always woke Jongin in the mornings like this. The younger appreciated it, especially compared to his old alarm sound.

      “Suho's still too weak to go out...So we were thinking of leaving some guardians here...to protect Suho, Onew, Taemin, and Kris...”

      “Alright,” Jongin mumbled. That sounded like a solid plan. “So who all is going to get supplies?”

      “Sehun, Luhan, Minseok, Lay...and you since you'll be teleporting everyone...”

      “Yeah...” Jongin sighed. He figured that much, given his role in the group. He didn't expect Chanyeol to hug him close though.

      “I'm really sorry,” the fire guardian whispered. “I wish I could make things easier on you, or at least less dangerous...But I want to stay here with the others in case something happens...”

      “I-It's ok...” Jongin stuttered, hoping Chanyeol couldn't feel his heart beating rapidly.

 

      When had he become so self-conscious and nervous around Chanyeol? He timidly hugged the other back.

      “I'll be ok.”

 

      He felt Chanyeol hold him tighter. Jongin was still half asleep, so being held like this by such warm arms was almost putting him back to sleep. He had to force himself not to whine when Chanyeol pulled away. To his surprise, the older boy placed his hands on Jongin's cheeks, smiling at him softly. There was no way he didn't notice Jongin's cheeks heat up.

      “Hang in there, ok? We'll all be back together soon.”

 

      Jongin nodded slowly, his wide eyes staring at Chanyeol in a daze. Chanyeol smiled once more and let Jongin go, going over to wake Suho in order to cook a small breakfast. That was the most Chanyeol and Sehun would let him used his powers at the moment. Jongin placed his hands on his cheeks, trying to take deep breaths and let them cool off. Taemin noticed the reaction and he couldn't help but smile. He walked over to Jongin and sat beside him, patting his back and talking to him about something else entirely. He was just happy to see Jongin slowly moving on and feeling better.

 

      Kris had leaned against the wall after Lay woke him and Baekhyun up. The latter had woken up long enough to snuggle against Kris and fall back asleep. Lay had wanted to forcefully wake him up, but Kris held him close and begged Lay to just let Baekhyun sleep. Lay begrudgingly agreed since Baekhyun wouldn't be going to get supplies. He smelled something fishy between the two though.

      “You and Baekhyun have been really close to each other lately,” Lay started gently. “I mean, he's always clung to you since...well, that day...But now you seem really clingy as well...”

      “We're, um...We're dating,” Kris admitted, looking away from Lay's penetrating gaze.

 

      He hadn't meant to hide it from his best friend. He was just really awkward when it came to relationships and didn't know how to bring it up. Baekhyun was fairly shy and reserved about it too.

      “You're dating!?” Lay gasped, eyes wide. “Why didn't you tell me? For how long?”

      “Only about a week...” Kris mumbled, already feeling heat rising in his cheeks. “After the attack happened, we talked about it and decided to go out...”

      “Wow...It happened so fast...”

      “Do you think...it was too fast?” Kris asked nervously. Lay looked at him with a perplexed expression.

      “Do you love him?”

      “Yes...”

      “Then no, it didn't happen too fast,” Lay soothed, rubbing Kris's arm. “You two went through some traumatic stuff together, and I know Baekhyun feels safe with you...even though he's probably able to defend himself better than you.”

      “Thanks,” Kris grumbled.

      “But I think that brought you two together...And I think you're both good for each other, and that's important.” Lay fluffed Baekhyun's hair lightly. “You both deserve to be happy and feel safe.”

      “So do you,” Kris responded softly. Lay smiled bitterly.

      “I'll feel much better once he's back with us and ok...”

 

      Kris nodded, and it was his turn to pat Lay's back. Lay didn't even have to specify who he was referring to. Kris knew it was Tao. Even he was still torn up and worried about the other boy. There was no way Tao was willingly doing this to them. That was the most painful thought. What had they done to turn Tao into this?

 

      Chanyeol served up breakfast soon after, so Kris finally shook Baekhyun awake. Once they were done eating, Jongin gathered everyone together. Lay had refused not to go on a supply run after what had happened to Suho, despite Chanyeol's fear that they were putting the healer at risk. Suho seemed reluctant to let Sehun go, and Chanyeol felt like he could completely understand. After all, he was feeling that way about Jongin. One hug from Sehun was enough to halt Suho's worries for the moment though.

 

      Jongin held hands with Minseok and Luhan, who in turn held hands with Lay and Sehun. Seconds later, they teleported out of the hideout and into a small convenience store. Finding food was starting to become a challenge. A lot of the food in most stores had gone bad by this point if they were perishable, so it left them hunting every convenience store and grocery store in the city for whatever they could find. None were restocking either, so once they cleaned out one store, it was simply on to another.

 

      This store was close to the hideout at least, but it was small, so this was probably going to be the last trip they made to it. Jongin and Sehun stuck to each other like glue, heading off to scour the aisles to the left, while Luhan, Lay and Minseok took the aisles on the right.

 

      Everything was quiet for a majority of the trip. Sehun and Jongin had finished packing baskets and were walking over to meet the other three. Suddenly, an arm wrapped itself around Jongin's neck and threw him backwards. Sehun span around just in time to face a robed man. A hood covered his face, but Sehun could still see the crooked, maniacal smile full of yellowed teeth.

 

      He used the wind to propel himself away, but it was little use against this mysterious figure. Darkness surrounded Sehun and snaked up his legs, holding him in place. He tried to create a wind shield around himself, but the robed man broke through it with ease. He grabbed Sehun by the hair and the younger boy shouted, struggling to get away. He felt something sharp dig into his right thigh and pull upwards, cutting it open. He screamed in pain and the man let go of his hair, letting him drop to the ground.

 

      The man pulled out a vial and knelt down to collect Sehun's blood. Jongin had recovered from his initial shock by then, so he quickly lunged at the man, trying to pull him away from Sehun. The man growled in irritation and gripped at Jongin's neck, squeezing it hard enough to bruise and constrict his airflow. Jongin gasped for air, trying to pull the man's hand away. At the same time, the man collected blood from Sehun's thigh. It was starting to pool around Sehun's leg and Jongin could tell the wound was deep. He needed to do something, but he couldn't even breathe.

 

      An icicle shot across the man's arm, cutting it and causing him to drop Jongin. The latter coughed and gasped, tenderly holding his abused neck. The man retreated as Minseok shot icicle after icicle at him. Luhan levitated a nearby display and smacked the man away using it. The two of them focused on fighting him while Lay rushed over to Sehun and Jongin. Lay noticed how bad Sehun's injury was and immediately started healing him. Jongin crawled over tiredly.

      “Is he ok?” He asked, his voice airy and weak. Lay nodded grimly.

      “It's deep, but I got to him in time...”

      “I'm gonna take you two back. It's too dangerous here.”

      “What about Minseok and Luhan!?”

      “I'll come back for them. You need to take care of Sehun and it's not safe to do that here.”

 

      Lay didn't have time to protest before Jongin grabbed both of them and teleported back to the hideout. He was only there long enough to hear Chanyeol call his name in alarm before he teleported back to the action.

 

      Chanyeol and Suho rushed over to Lay and Sehun. Suho instantly grabbed Sehun's hand and rubbed his back while Lay healed the massive gash across his thigh. Chanyeol wanted answers though.

      “What happened!?”

      “This weird man attacked...He was in this black robe. I couldn't see his face!” Lay explained frantically while working on Sehun.

      “That's their leader,” Chanyeol gasped. “They aren't safe, we need to get them back!”

      “Jongin is the one who teleports not me!” Lay snapped. “I have to heal Sehun. If you want to do something, you're gonna have to act for yourself.” Chanyeol nodded, running his hand through his hair.

      “Suho, you stay here with everyone. I don't want to leave everyone completely defenseless...Baekhyun-”

      “I'll come!” The boy exclaimed jumping to his feet. Kris eyed him worriedly and Baekhyun smiled with fake confidence.

      “Thank you...We're gonna be on foot, so let's go...It's the same store as last time, right Lay?”

      “Yeah!”

 

      With that, Baekhyun and Chanyeol slid out through the crack in the wall and started sprinting to the store where the others were at. They could only hope they made it in time.

 

 

~*~

      Minseok and Luhan had been holding the man off well enough together, but soon, the man started fighting against Luhan's powers with his own. He stopped items that Luhan launched at him in mid air and sent them flying back at both of the boys. Each time the man outdid Luhan's power, the boy was hit with a powerful recoil from his own power. Each recoil felt like it was splitting Luhan's head in two. Eventually, the man sent the metal shelves of one of the aisles cascading down upon the two, and Luhan wasn't fast enough to stop it.

 

      Both were knocked unconscious and the man laughed coldly. He lifted the shelf off of them with ease, then cut both of their arms. He filled two more vials, then stared at Luhan in thought.

      “Telekinesis...You could become an interesting puppet...Your friend here, not so much though...I'll kill him and take you...”

 

      He held an arm out, but before he could touch Luhan, Jongin grabbed his arm and yanked him away. Jongin tried to grab Minseok and Luhan and escape, but the man grabbed both of Jongin's arms, twisting them behind his back roughly and causing Jongin to cry out in pain. The man span Jongin around and pinned him to the wall, gripping his abused neck once more. Jongin struggled against him and tried to teleport a few feet away. Unfortunately, he took the man with him. That only caused the assailant to chuckle darkly.

      “So you're the teleporter...You make quite the swift exit...You've been a pain in my side for quite some time...Perhaps I should make you my next puppet as well...”

 

      Jongin shook his head furiously. The man gripped his neck even tighter and the boy yelped. He hated the delighted laughter that parted from the man's lips at the sound.

      “Too bad. It would have been so much easier if you'd come willingly...”

 

      The man's second hand hovered over Jongin's face, darkness emanating from it. Jongin tried in vain to get away, but the man was holding his neck far too tightly. The man's hand wrapped around Jongin's face and the darkness began entering his body. Jongin screamed one last time as every one of his senses were overrun by darkness and all warmth left his body. Seconds later, he fell limp in the man's arms. The robed man laughed once more.

      “How long will you fight it, I wonder...Will you be as entertaining as the last?”

 

      He sensed more guardians approaching the area and clicked his tongue. He wouldn't have time to deal with the telekinesis user. He created a dark portal and hoisted Jongin over his shoulder. After that, he walked into the darkness. The portal closed up behind him.

 

      By the time Chanyeol and Baekhyun got to the store, everything was quiet. Their jaws dropped when they saw the destruction surrounding Minseok and Luhan. Baekhyun rushed over to the two, confirming that they were ok. Chanyeol let out a brief sigh of relief, but as soon as he realized Jongin was nowhere to be found, his heart was pounding once more.

 

      He ran through the entire store, looking in every nook and cranny for the boy, but it was all pointless. Jongin was gone. Chanyeol tangled his hands in his hair and shook his head in disbelief. This couldn't be happening.

      “Jongin...No...”

 

      He needed to find him. That robed man must have taken him back to his lair. If Chanyeol went there, he could rescue Jongin. He was ready to bolt out of the store when Baekhyun grabbed his wrist, staring at him sadly.

      “Luhan and Minseok are hurt...We need to get them back...And we need to take the supplies back too...”

      “But Jongin!”

      “What can we do for him right now?” Baekhyun asked grimly. “Even if we knew where he went, there's only you and me, Chanyeol. You really want to rush to your death that badly?”

      “I can't abandon him!”

      “We aren't abandoning him,” Baekhyun said gently. “We're regrouping. Then we'll ALL go and get him back. We can't abandon Luhan or Minseok either...They need us right now.”

 

      Chanyeol nodded in defeat. They walked back over to the two unconscious boys and hoisted one on each of their backs. After that, they grabbed as many baskets of supplies as they could and started the arduous walk home. Chanyeol could only pray that Jongin would be ok. He didn't know what he would do otherwise.


	18. Chapter 18

      Jongin slowly opened his eyes, finding himself leaned against a wall, surrounded once more by glowing runes carved into stone walls. These were different than the ones that had kept Chanyeol captive though. He had a feeling these were suppressing his power, which would explain why he felt so weak. He tried to look around but pain shot through his neck. Memories of what had happened earlier flooded his mind. That man had strangled him. What had happened next though? Jongin suddenly couldn't remember. He jumped when another figure appeared at his side.

      “Hey! You're awake!” Jongdae exclaimed. Jongin looked at him tiredly.

      “What...?”

      “That man brought you here...I've been looking after you since then...What happened?”

      “I don't know,” Jongin whispered, shivering slightly. Why did it feel so cold?

      “What about your friends? Are they ok?”

      “I think so...”

      “Do you think they'll come for us?” Jongdae asked quietly, leaning closer to Jongin.

      “I hope so...We were planning to come back for you...” Jongin finally got a good look at Jongdae, noting all the bruises littering his face. “What happened to you!?”

      “Tao,” Jongdae sighed. “I told you he was dangerous, didn't I? This was punishment for letting you escape...”

      “I'm so sorry,” Jongin whispered, lightly touching one of the bruises on Jongdae's cheek. “Will you be ok?”

      “I'm fine. This is already healing. I used to be worse,” Jongdae laughed hollowly. “Kyungsoo's still alive too, according to that man, but they haven't let me see him...I'm really worried...”

 

      Jongin frowned and placed his hand on Jongdae's forearm, squeezing it gently in an attempt to comfort him. Jongdae's eyes went wide and he grabbed Jongin's hand with one of his.

      “You're so cold!” He gasped, rubbing Jongin's hand in between both of his. “Why are you so cold?”

 

      Jongdae wrapped his arm around Jongin's back, snuggling him closer. He rubbed his hands up and down Jongin's arms, trying to keep him warm, but it seemed pointless. Jongin wasn't even sure why he was so cold. The chill was somehow putting him to sleep though. He knew Jongdae was still talking to him, but he couldn't register what he was saying. Instead, his mind was drifting off to thoughts of a certain fire guardian. If Chanyeol were here, he could help. Chanyeol would keep him warm. But Chanyeol wasn't there.

 

~*~

      Luhan groaned as his head throbbed. When he managed to open his eyes, he was greeted with the ceiling of their hideout. The others must have brought them back. He turned his head to the side, wincing as it ached, and found Minseok staring at him worriedly.

      “You have a headache too?” He asked.

      “Yeah...” Luhan mumbled. “I guess we used our powers too much, huh?”

      “That guy also dropped a shelf on us,” Minseok sighed. “That probably didn't help either.”

 

      Luhan smiled tiredly, remembering that had, in fact, happened. He stared up at the ceiling once more and sighed.

      “Lay healed us,” Minseok explained quietly. “But he wanted us to rest...Jongin got captured, so we're going to save him tomorrow...”

      “It was our fault he got caught...wasn't it?”

      “I don't know, Luhan...But blaming yourself won't help. We'll rescue him, so for now, you should rest.”

 

      Luhan nodded solemnly. He wasn't sure why he felt like crying. Maybe it was the pounding headache and realization that Jongin had gotten caught trying to save them. He knew Minseok was right, but Luhan couldn't help but feel guilty. He had a tendency to beat himself up over everything. Minseok must have noticed his unease because he scooted closer, placing his hand on Luhan's shoulder.

      “Hey...It's gonna be ok, alright?” He soothed. Luhan nodded lifelessly. “Are you ok...?”

      “I don't know,” Luhan whispered. “I don't know how I feel...”

      “You wanna talk about it?” There was a pause and Luhan said nothing. Minseok sighed. “You know I'm your friend, right? You can talk to me...”

      “I don't really have anything to say though...” Luhan whispered. Minseok internally rolled his eyes.

      “Luhan, can I ask you something?”

      “Hm?”

      “Why do you always avoid me like this? Do you hate me? Do I bother you?”

      “No! It's nothing like that...It's just...”

      “Just?”

      “I don't want to be a burden to you...”

      “Luhan, you aren't a burden. I'm _worried_ about you. Why would you think that about yourself?”

      “I don't know...I just don't want to weigh you down with my problems. I mean, we're all going through this so I'm sure you're just as stressed as I am. You don't need me weighing you down too...”

      “Luhan, that's bullshit. I want you to talk to me about these things. I want to be your friend, but you always push me away. It sucks...”

      “I'm not trying to push you away,” Luhan whispered, his voice shaking slightly. “I'm just so scared I'll get on your nerves eventually and you'll leave on your own...”

      “I won't leave, I promise,” Miseok muttered, snuggling closer to Luhan. “So will you talk to me?”

      “I don't know,” Luhan whispered. “I don't know how to feel...I'm worried about Jongin...I'm scared to go to that freaky guy's hideout...I mean, he completely handed our asses to us today, so how are we supposed to get Jongin back? How are we supposed to fight and live in a world like this? We almost die every time we get food, how are we supposed to make it through? And what about our families? Our parents...Friends...Everyone...They're all probably...”

 

      Minseok said nothing, but he wrapped his arm around Luhan's stomach and pulled him closer. Luhan felt tears streak down his cheeks and he sniffled, as if that would calm him down any.

      “I can't handle this,” he whispered. “I'm so scared...And everyday it feels like I might die...But everyone here seems so composed...You're handling this so well and I don't want to drag you down and just...”

      “Shhh,” Minseok soothed. “I'm not handling this well at all. None of us are. Trust me, you're not alone. We just...haven't thought about it as much as you have because then we'd all be crying messes, you know?” Luhan choked back another sob. “But you know, if you need to cry, then cry. None of us are gonna judge you. If anything, we'll hug you and comfort you...or cry with you...”

      “I'm not annoying?” Luhan asked weakly.

      “Of course not!” Minseok nuzzled into Luhan's neck. “We're all here for you. I'm here for you, so don't push yourself away. Don't try to do this alone.”

 

      Luhan bit his lip and turned to face Minseok. He wrapped his arm around the other's torso and pressed his face into his chest. Minseok held Luhan close as the latter cried silently. He felt tears stinging his own eyes, and he blinked, letting a few fall.

 

      Somehow, living on the run had become a reality to him. He'd mostly adjusted to the fact that they were never going to have another well-cooked, safe meal again. Seeing Luhan like this now though, reality seemed to be crashing down on him as well. Still, he wanted to be strong for Luhan. The other boy obviously needed someone to hold him and help him through this, and Minseok was more than willing to be that person.

 

      Luhan ended up crying himself back to sleep. Minseok closed his eyes as well, trying to push thoughts of the following day out of his mind. He hoped Jongin was safe and that they would all be able to make it out of there alive. He eventually fell asleep, the boy in his arms being the only source of comfort during the restless night.

 

~*~

      Jongdae was growing tired from rubbing up and down Jongin's arms in an attempt to keep him warm. It didn't seem to be helping at all. In fact, if anything, Jongin was getting colder. The boy was in and out of consciousness, and each time he woke up, he seemed more and more dazed and confused. Jongdae had no clue what was going on with him. Eventually, Jongin began whispering a name over and over.

      “Chanyeol...”

 

      Jongdae vaguely recognized the name as the other guy that had been with Jongin the day they escaped. He snuggled Jongin closer still, trying to sooth him.

      “He'll come for us, Jongin...He'll come, so just hang in there!”

 

      His words seemed to have little effect on Jongin. Jongdae could only pray that Chanyeol would come soon. For both of their sakes.

 

      Suddenly, the door to the cell opened and the robed man entered. He stormed right over to the two of them and smirked when he saw Jongin's current state. Jongdae's eyes narrowed.

      “You did this, didn't you?” Jongdae accused. “What did you do to him?”

      “He's becoming my next puppet,” the robed man hissed. “Now move. You're getting in the way of my plans.”

 

      The man pulled Jongdae harshly away from Jongin. The younger boy flopped to the ground, curling up on himself in an attempt to stay warm. Jongdae tried to fight against the man, but it was no use. He called out to Jongin one last time as the man dragged him from the room.

      “Jongin! Don't give in! Stay strong!”

 

      On his way out, the robed man deactivated the runes suppressing Jongin's power. He wouldn't be running away anymore, and he would need to regain his strength in order to fight for the man later. The door slammed shut, and Jongin was left alone. His body was shivering violently. Jongin whimpered and rubbed his arms, but it was a pointless effort. If only Chanyeol were here, he would help him. But Chanyeol wasn't there. Jongin was alone.

      “Chanyeol...”

 

~*~

      The fire guardian woke the group up far before the sun had risen. Even Suho still wanted to rest more, but Chanyeol was insisting that they get there as fast as possible. Suho and Chanyeol prepared a quick breakfast for everyone, then they began preparing to leave.

 

      Luhan and Minseok seemed attached to each other at the hip, which made Lay rather surprised. Baekhyun was nervous, but Kris was trying his best to calm him down. Meanwhile, Suho seemed to be fretting over Sehun nonstop.

      “Are you sure? Your leg was hurt just yesterday,” Suho mumbled.

      “I'll be ok. Lay healed me. You were impaled not long ago. Are _you_ ok?”

      “I'm fine. I've had plenty of time to recover.”

      “You're both fine, we get it,” Lay sighed. “I'm more worried about Taemin, Onew, and Kris...”

      “We're not staying here, if that's what you're thinking!” Taemin quickly cut in. “Jongin is my best friend, I'm going.”

      “Taemin, you're powerless,” Sehun mumbled. Taemin seemed undeterred.

      “I'm not planning to leave Baekhyun either,” Kris stated. Baekhyun eyed him worriedly. “We're going with you.”

      “It's dangerous,” Suho warned. “But honestly, leaving you here might not be any safer than taking you with us...Just make sure you stay with one of the other guardians, got it?”

 

      Taemin nodded and grabbed Onew's hand, walking over to Chanyeol. At the same time, Kris held Baekhyun's hand timidly. Suho sighed in defeat and looked over to Chanyeol.

      “You're the one who's been there before. Lead the way.”

 

      Chanyeol nodded and the group soon set off. It took them half the day to leave the city and reach the field where Jongin and Chanyeol had escaped. After that, Chanyeol had to rely on sensing energy, which he wasn't the best at. Still, with how much power that man commanded, as well as having 3 guardians in his possession, Chanyeol would definitely sense them.

 

      As they were walking through the field, Taemin caught up with Chanyeol. He was hesitant to speak, but finally, he started.

      “Are you ok?”

      “Yeah, why wouldn't I be?” Chanyeol asked.

      “Because...Jongin was kidnapped. I'm freaking out myself but you...you like him, don't you?” Chanyeol didn't say anything. “I just want to make sure you're ok...and that you won't do anything rash...”

      “I'll be fine,” Chanyeol said gently. “I just want to get him back...”

 

      Taemin nodded slowly. Chanyeol stopped and his eyes widened. He turned to the group and pointed at the ground.

      “Here! It's right here, underneath us!”

      “Great, but how do we get there?” Sehun asked. Suho thought for a moment.

      “Luhan, try lifting the ground up and creating an entrance for us.”

 

      Luhan raised an eyebrow, but after a pat on the back from Minseok, he sighed and did as told. It took a few attempts of pulling mounds of dirt out of the ground, but eventually, he found stone. He focused on that and after much concentration, he managed to break a hole in it. He gripped his head, feeling slightly dizzy. Lay and Minseok were at his side to support him in a matter of seconds. When Luhan had recovered the group dropped down.

 

      They were met with no resistance. There weren't any monsters or guards. The robed man had to have something planned for them. They proceeded down the dark stone hallway cautiously. Eventually, they made it to a room that Chanyeol recognized as the one where Jongdae's boyfriend rested. He pulled the door open and peered inside. He breathed a sigh of relief when Jongdae was in there as well. The boy stared up at him in shock.

      “Chanyeol!” He gasped. “You're here!”

      “Jongdae! Are you ok?” Chanyeol asked, rushing into the room and giving the other boy a once over. The others filed in after him.

      “I'll live...You really came, I can't believe it...”

      “Why is it so quiet here?” Suho asked. “Shouldn't there be guards?”

      “I don't know...That man told me not to leave this room...He threatened to kill Kyungsoo...I couldn't...”

 

      Jongdae bit his lip and looked over at the boy lying in the bed. Chanyeol turned to Lay, looking at him pleadingly.

      “Lay, his boyfriend is hurt...Will you help him?”

      “You don't even have to ask,” Lay soothed, walking over to the bed. He glanced at Jongdae sadly. “You look like you could use some help as well.”

      “Just heal Kyungsoo, please...I'll be fine...”

 

      Lay nodded and started looking Minseok over. Chanyeol placed his hand on Jongdae's shoulder.

      “Where's Jongin?” He asked nervously. Jongdae's face fell slightly and Chanyeol's heart sunk.

      “He's in the prison cell, but...”

 

      Chanyeol didn't bother waiting for Jongdae to finish his sentence before he dashed off. Taemin's eyes widened and he went to follow after Chanyeol, Onew in tow. Jongdae called out to them before they could leave.

      “That man did something to him! Be careful...He might not...be himself...”

 

      Taemin nodded and ran after Chanyeol. Onew grabbed his hand and squeezed it comfortingly. Taemin could only pray that Jongin was alright.

 

~*~

      Chanyeol ran down the hallway, reaching the familiar cell in almost no time. He pulled the heavy metal door open and rushed into the room. Jongin was curled up in a ball in the corner of the room, not moving at all. Chanyeol ran over to him and squatted down. He gently grabbed Jongin's forearms. He was freezing.

      “Jongin! Are you ok?” He gasped.

 

      The boy didn't respond. Chanyeol ran his hands up and down the boy's arm, hoping to both warm him up and coax him to respond.

      “Jongin...You're so cold...Come on, let's go back to the others...I'll warm you up, ok?”

 

      Jongin suddenly lashed out at Chanyeol, his hands gripping at the other's neck. Chanyeol fell backwards and Jongin followed, pinning him to the ground by his neck. His grip tightened and Chanyeol winced, looking up at Jongin in shock and confusion.

      “Jongin...?”


	19. Chapter 19

      Chanyeol stared up at Jongin with wide, confused eyes. Jongin's grip was was gradually tightening and his eyes were cold and emotionless. This couldn't have been the boy that Chanyeol knew.

      “Jongin...What are you doing?” He asked, placing his hands on Jongin's forearms.

 

      The other boy didn't respond, but his grip tightened, causing Chanyeol to wince. It was getting harder to breathe. Chanyeol heard footsteps approaching the room, followed by two gasps.

      “JONGIN!” Taemin shouted. “What are you doing!? Stop!”

 

      Taemin rushed forward, planning to pull Jongin off by force, but the boy teleported further away, taking Chanyeol with him. The latter's head span, the brief weightless period not really helping his attempts at breathing. Chanyeol looked over at Taemin as best he could.

      “It's alright. Don't come near. I'll handle this...”

 

      Taemin looked like he was about to protest, but Onew held him back, not wanting the situation to get any worse. Chanyeol jumped in surprise when a droplet hit the side of his cheek. He glanced back up at Jongin. His eyes were still emotionless, but tears were flowing from them.

      “Chanyeol...” Jongin whimpered. “Where are you...?” The fire guardian's eyes went wide.

      “I'm here!” He answered gently. “Jongin, I'm here.”

      “It's so cold...Chanyeol?”

      “Cold?” The fire guardian asked. It was then that he noticed just how cold Jongin's arms felt. “If you're cold I'll warm you up, ok? It's gonna be alright, Jongin...”

 

      He ran his hands up and down the boy's forearms, trying to focus extra warmth into his hands. Jongin made no movement, but his grip on Chanyeol's neck loosened ever so slightly. The fire guardian smiled gently. Jongin was still in there, Chanyeol just had to reach him.

 

      Two other sets of footsteps approached the room, and Taemin and Onew turned to look. Soon, Baekhyun ran over to them, Kris following behind.

      “How's Jongin?” Baekhyun asked. His eyes shifted to the scene before them. “Oh my God, what's going on!?”

      “Jongin is...not himself right now,” Onew explained, looking worried. “He won't let us get close and Chanyeol's trying to talk to him...”

 

      Baekhyun nodded and watched nervously. His eyes narrowed when he noticed the feint shadow looming over Jongin's back, wrapping around his arms slightly. He tilted his head to the side in confusion.

      “What's that thing above Jongin?” Baekhyun asked. Taemin looked at him like he was nuts.

      “What thing? The ceiling?” He asked.

      “No! There's some weird shadow above Jongin! Can you not see it?”

      “I don't see anything...” Kris mumbled.

      “Maybe only you can see it, Baekhyun,” Onew offered. “Your element is light right? So maybe you can see the shadow, but we can't...”

      “Do you think that's what's making him act like this?” Kris asked.

      “Maybe...” Baekhyun mumbled.

      “Can you try to get rid of it?” Taemin asked next. “Light vs darkness, right?” Baekhyun bit his lip.

      “I can try...”

 

      Baekhyun walked slowly over to Jongin and Chanyeol. The fire guardian seemed to have tamed Jongin for the moment if nothing else. Baekhyun let out a shaky breath then moved over to Jongin's side, placing a hand on his shoulder. The younger boy jumped slightly, but Chanyeol quickly soothed him, giving his forearms gentle squeezes.

      “Chanyeol, I'm gonna try something...I need you to keep him still and distracted, ok?” Baekhyun explained quietly and as calmly as he could.

      “Can do,” Chanyeol answered, his voice sound coarse and strained.

 

      Baekhyun began glowing dimly. He held his arm up to the shadow, surprised when his fingers could actually feel something semi-solid. He wrapped his fingers around some of the shadow and pulled it away from Jongin, causing the latter to scream in pain as his grip on Chanyeol tightened out of instinct. Baekhyun immediately ceased his actions.

      “Sorry!” He gasped. Chanyeol coughed and shook his head.

      “I-It's alright...Just do what you need to,” he wheezed.

 

      Chanyeol ran his hands up and down Jongin's arms once more, wishing that they weren't so cold. Jongin must have been feeling miserable. Baekhyun took another deep breath and glowed brighter, hoping that it would weaken the shadow this time. He pulled it away from Jongin's body much easier this time, also causing Jongin much less pain. Baekhyun crushed the shadow in his hand, the remaining fragments dissipating within the light. Jongin collapsed on top of Chanyeol and the fire guardian instantly snuggled him close.

 

      Baekhyun took a step backwards. He was surprised when the room seemed to spin around him and he wobbled on his feet. He must have used much more of his power to do that than he had realized. Kris rushed over to him and grabbed him before he could fall, and he leaned tiredly against the taller.

      “I got you,” Kris whispered, holding him close.

      “Did you do it?” Onew asked worriedly. Baekhyun nodded.

      “Yeah...Whatever that shadow thing was, it's gone now...”

      “Is Jongin ok?” Taemin asked, walking over to the now unconscious boy and Chanyeol and kneeling beside them. The latter smiled and glanced at Jongin on his chest.

      “He's fine, I think. Just sleeping...”

      “Do you need us to help you up?” Kris asked.

      “No, I'm fine. I kinda wanna lay here for a bit and rest. Is that ok with you guys? I'll take care of Jongin until he wakes up, I promise.” Taemin nodded, giving Chanyeol a knowing look.

      “What were the others up to?” Onew asked Kris and Baekhyun.

      “Lay was healing that boy...He's probably still there,” the smaller boy explained.

      “Let's go to them,” Taemin suggested.

 

      He got to his feet and grabbed Onew's hand, leading him out of the room. Kris supported Baekhyun as they followed after them, leaving Chanyeol alone with Jongin. He sighed and looked down at the unconscious boy, running his fingers through his hair. Jongin's cheek was ice cold, like the rest of his body, but Chanyeol could already feel him warming up. Jongin would be ok.

      “I'm so sorry I couldn't protect you,” he whispered, cuddling the boy closer in hopes to warm him up. “I'm here now. You'll be ok.”

 

~*~

      Lay stared down at the boy connected to all the machinery. His eyes narrowed when he noticed the vast amount of plants underneath the bed, sprouting up through the stone floor. It seemed uncanny to him. He hovered his hand over the boy, using his power to gauge how bad his injuries were and where he should start. His eyebrows rose slightly.

      “What is it?” Jongdae asked in a panic.

      “There's a lot of energy coming off of him,” Lay explained. “Way more than an average human...I think he's a guardian.”

      “What? How?” Jongdae mumbled. Lay smiled at him.

      “He was hurt badly, right? My guess is that activated his power, but he was too injured to really do anything with it.

      “But can you heal him? Will he be ok?”

      “He'll be fine,” Lay soothed. I'll heal him now.”

 

      Jongdae watched Lay work, nervously biting at his nails. Color slowly returned to the boy's face and Jongdae heart felt like it would beat out of his chest. Taemin and Onew entered the room followed by Kris holding Baekhyun up as he walked. Suho looked at him worriedly.

      “What happened?” He asked.

      “Jongin attacked Chanyeol, then Baekhyun pulled some weird invisible shadow off of him,” Taemin sighed. Sehun's eyes went wide.

      “Is everyone ok? What about Jongin?” He asked.

      “He's fine. Chanyeol's with him,” Baekhyun sighed tiredly. “What about here?”

      “I've almost finished healing him,” Lay explained. “He took quite a bit of internal damage, but he'll be fine soon enough.”

 

      The group waited in an uncomfortable silence. Everything was far too quiet. There had to be something bad waiting for them at the end of this. Finally, the silence in the room was broken by Jongdae's loud gasp. He rushed to the bed, leaning over the boy.

      “Kyungsoo!” He called out. Said boy groaned softly, eyes scrunched. “Kyungsoo, it's me! Jongdae!”

      “Dae...?” The boy finally answered, opening his eyes tiredly to stare up at him.

      “Oh my God, Kyungsoo!” Jongdae sobbed, leaning down and wrapping his arms around him. Kyungsoo looked at him dazedly.

      “What's wrong? Where are we?” Jongdae said nothing, but continued to cry. Lay smiled and gently placed his hand on Kyungsoo shoulder.

      “Hi, my name's Lay,” he began gently. “There's a lot to explain, but now's probably not the best time. We need to get you two out of here.”

 

      Kyungsoo's brow furrowed. Jongdae slowly peeled himself away, wiping his eyes. He smiled sadly at Kyungsoo.

      “He's right. We'll talk about everything later, ok?”

 

      Kyungsoo nodded, frowning slightly, then sat up stiffly. His eyes widened when he saw the faded bruises covering Jongdae's face. He cupped the boy's cheeks in his hands.

      “Fine...You'll tell me how you got these too, right?” He asked, a finger brushing over one of the bruises on his cheekbone. Jongdae looked down sadly.

      “Yeah. Let's just get somewhere safe first. Can you stand?”

 

      He held Kyungsoo's arms while the boy slowly stood up from the bed. His legs were shaky and weak, so Jongdae decided it was best to keep his arm around Kyungsoo's waist. They walked slowly over to the others.

      “We're ready,” Jongdae said quietly.

      “Sorry to rush you like this,” Suho apologized. Kyungsoo shook his head.

      “It's alright. I'm sorry I'm so slow.”

      “It's fine. You've been through a lot. We'll take care of you,” Lay soothed.

      “What about Jongin and Chanyeol?” Sehun asked.

      “They were gonna meet us,” Taemin mumbled. “Should we go to them?”

      “Might as well,” Baekhyun sighed.

 

      They headed out into the hall. Growls echoed through the stone halls and the group instinctively huddled together. Soon enough, imps and wolves were charging at them. Jongdae held Kyungsoo close.

      “Great,” he groaned. He could hear Kyungsoo gasp in fear and felt him press closer.

      “We're going to have to fight,” Suho yelled. “Watch each other's backs!”

 

      He sent a wave of water out, pushing the approaching monsters back in one fellow swoop. Following that, the group was engaged in combat. Luhan, Sehun, and Suho pushed the hordes back while Minseok and Jongdae dealt finishing blows to the monsters that got too close. Baekhyun was still weak from earlier and Lay was powerless to help, so they stayed with the others who didn't have any powers in the center of the group.

 

      Soon a wolf got the upper hand on Jongdae, coming too close for him to strike away. He gasped, pulling Kyungsoo close and cowering from the beast. He heard it cry out in pain seconds later and looked up in shock, completely unharmed. The beast had been skewered by a stone spike that had shot out of the ground. Several other nearby monsters had suffered the same fate. Jongdae glanced at Kyungsoo to make sure he was ok and the boy had his hand outstretched while panting heavily and shaking. Jongdae's jaw dropped, realizing Kyungsoo had saved them.

      “I told you guys he was a guardian!” Lay gloated. Sehun rolled his eyes.

      “Yeah, yeah. We know, Lay,” he grumbled. “You were right. Can you flaunt it in our faces later when we _aren't_ about to get killed?”

      “If you think about it, now's the best time to brag since we might die,” Lay joked back.

      “Later, Lay!” Sehun shouted.

 

      The monsters seemed to never stop coming. They were completely outnumbered and in a tight space, so it was hard to fight. Suddenly, the stone roof came crashing down on most of the horde, crushing them and blocking others from getting through. The group turned and stared at Kyungsoo in awe.

      “This is really hard to get a hang of...” The boy mumbled shyly.

      “No, good idea!” Luhan exclaimed. “They can't keep coming now!”

      “But we can't get out,” Minseok deadpanned, and Luhan frowned at him.

      “Kyungsoo could probably just make a new tunnel for us,” Jongdae proposed.

      “Plus, if Jongin wakes up, he can teleport us out,” Baekhyun stated. Minseok nodded, liking the sound of both of those options, and turned to Kyungsoo.

      “Crush them all!” He exclaimed.

 

      Luhan couldn't help but smile and roll his eyes. After that, the group dealt with the remaining monsters that hadn't been crushed and headed for the cell where Jongin and Chanyeol were.

 

~*~

      Chanyeol laid there with his eyes closed, holding Jongin and rubbing his back, slowly warming the boy up. He only opened his eyes when he heard the boy on top of him groan quietly. Eventually, Jongin sat up, looking down at him in confusion. Chanyeol sat up beside him, smiling gently.

      “Chanyeol...?” Jongin asked drowsily. The fire guardian couldn't help but laugh at how sleepy the boy sounded.

      “Yep, I'm here.” As Jongin slowly sorted through his daze, his hand went to his mouth and his eyes went wide.

      “I attacked you...” He gasped. Chanyeol's smile fell slightly.

      “No you didn't. You were being controlled.”

      “I'm so sorry,” Jongin whimpered. Chanyeol quickly pulled him into a hug.

      “There's nothing to forgive, Jongin,” he insisted. “I'm just glad you're ok.”

 

      Jongin let out a shaky breath and rested his head on Chanyeol's shoulder. His neck ached, and he vaguely remembered the strange robed man strangling him before doing something to him. His memory was really vague after that. All he knew was Chanyeol was here now, and he was so warm. Jongin wasn't even sure why he was so cold.

 

      Eventually, Chanyeol broke away from Jongin. The latter wanted to whine in response, but he forced himself to remain silent. Chanyeol placed his hands on Jongin's shoulders, looking him up and down.

      “Your neck looks really bad,” he said sadly, noting the hand shaped bruise. Jongin's fingertips trailed along the marred skin lightly.

      “He was holding me down when he captured me,” Jongin mumbled. Chanyeol nodded and pulled him close again.

      “You won't have to worry anymore. We'll get you out. I'm here with you now.”

      “Thank you for coming,” Jongin muttered into his shoulder, closing his eyes tiredly. Chanyeol was so warm he felt like he was going to fall asleep again.

      “Always,” Chanyeol whispered. “I love you, Jongin.”

 

      The younger boy's eyes shot open and he pulled away to look at Chanyeol in shock. Had he really just said that? He loved him? Why? How? Jongin must have heard wrong.

      “W-What...?”

      “I love you,” Chanyeol repeated, smile growing.

      “Why?” Jongin asked, still in doubt. Chanyeol simply laughed.

      “I dunno, I just do. You're sweet, cute...strong. So many different things. You're also really attractive, might I add.” Jongin flushed. “I just love you, ok? I want to be with you.”

      “I don't understand...”

      “That's ok,” Chanyeol soothed. “You don't have to understand everything. When I'm with you, I'm happy. You can understand that, right?” He received a nod in response. “Do you feel that way about me?”

      “Yes...” Jongin mumbled. “But I don't know if I'm ready...”

      “That's ok too,” Chanyeol reassured. “We'll take it as slow as you want.”

      “You really love me...?”

      “Mhm.”

      “And you're really ok with taking things slow...?”

      “Of course I am,” Chanyeol hummed, his deep voice sending chills down Jongin's back. He really loved his voice. “Will you go out with me, Jongin?”

      “Ok,” Jongin answered after a moment, mustering a small smile.

 

      Chanyeol's smile grew three times in size and he pulled Jongin into a tight embrace. It was bordering on painful, but Jongin really couldn't have cared. Chanyeol was so warm. And he loved him. Jongin almost couldn't believe this was real. Chanyeol's strong grip was enough to prove otherwise though. Maybe things would look up a little from now on. At least he wouldn't feel quite so lonely anymore.


	20. Chapter 20

      When the group reached the cell, they found Chanyeol snuggling Jongin in his arms. The fire guardian looked up and waved to the group, and Jongin pulled away slightly to look at them as well. Taemin rushed over to Jongin and knelt down in front of him.

      “Are you ok now?” He asked worriedly. Jongin nodded.

      “Yeah...I'm sorry about earlier...”

      “It's fine,” Taemin said, ruffling Jongin's hair. “As long as you're ok now.”

      “Were you actually aware of your actions?” Onew asked curiously.

      “Somewhat,” Jongin answered. “I couldn't control my body well, but I could tell what I was doing...”

      “At least you're back to normal now,” Chanyeol comforted, patting his back. Jongin smiled shyly.

      “But we still have a couple problems to deal with...Tao and that man,” Jongdae said darkly. Lay's expression fell and he bit his lip. “I'm starting to think that man did the same thing to Tao that he did to you.”

      “So Tao's still in there?” Luhan asked.

      “And if that's the case, he's aware that he's hurting us...” Lay mumbled quietly. Kris placed a hand on his shoulder.

      “He listened to us when we told him to stop though. It was just for a little while, but he stopped when we called out to him. There's still hope!”

      “How did you return to normal, Jongin?” Taemin asked next.

      “Baekhyun...” The timid boy started. The group stared at the light guardian, who was still mostly leaning on Kris for support.

      “There was a shadow above him,” Baekhyun explained. “I just destroyed it...If the same thing happened to Tao, I should be able to save him.”

      “Please!” Lay gasped, gripping Baekhyun's hand. “Please help him...”

      “I-I'll try...”

      “I hate to be the one to break things up,” Suho interjected. “But we really should be getting out of here. We've long overstayed our welcome.”

      “What about Tao?” Kris asked.

      “Baekhyun can barely stand right now and you want him to try and save Tao?” Suho asked grimly. “We need to fall back and regroup. We have a new guardian with us and we got Jongin back. That's good enough for now.”

      “Jongin, can you teleport us?” Chanyeol asked. The boy nodded, but pointed up to the runes.

      “Not from in here, but if we get out of the cell, I should be able to.”

 

      The group began retreating from the room in response and Chanyeol got to his feet. He helped lift Jongin up and kept a tight hold on the boy as he wobbled on his feet slightly.

      “You sure you're gonna be able to teleport us?”

      “Yeah, I'll be fine.”

 

      They walked out of the cell to meet up with the others. Unfortunately, by the time they reunited, the hallway was filling with more monsters. Suho and Sehun were doing their best to keep them away, but it was no use. The group was quickly wearing themselves out.

      “We need to get somewhere safe so Jongin can teleport us!” Suho shouted.

      “Down the hall!” Jongdae called. “There's a room we can slip into!”

 

      They ran as fast as they could away from the monsters, Jongdae leading the way. Eventually they made it to a pair of large, double doors. Jongdae slammed them open and the group piled in. Once they were all inside, they shut the doors, pressing themselves against them as the monsters slammed into them repeatedly. Eventually the movement on the other side of the door ceased, and the group backed away slowly. For whatever reason, the monsters had left them alone.

      “What is this place...?” Luhan asked, mouth gaping as he looked around.

 

      They were in a large, circular room. The walls were made of course stone, in contrast to the rest of the underground hideout. There were twelve large, pillar-like stones in a circle within the room. Gradually, the group spread out, curiosity getting the better of them, and inspected the pillars closer. Each one had some sort of rune on it. Jongin found himself naturally attracted to one that had a triangular rune with swirls inside it. Somehow, he felt a connection to it, like it gave him a rush of energy to be near it, but he wasn't sure why.

 

      Each of the other guardians had a rune that called out to them as well. Baekhyun found his connection with the sun-shaped rune, Chanyeol the phoenix, Lay the unicorn. Sehun was drawn to whirlwind-like swirls, while Suho was pulled towards a teardrop-shaped rune. Minseok stood before a snowflake rune, Luhan a series of lines and circles, Jongdae a scorpion, and Kyungsoo a beast-like face. Even Kris found himself oddly drawn to a dragon rune. When he ran his fingers along it, he felt an odd surge of energy flow through him.

      “It feels like we've been here before,” Sehun mumbled.

      “But how? None of us have been to this room, not even Jongin, Chanyeol, or I...” Jongdae questioned, brow furrowing. “There's no way we could know of this place...”

 

      A cold, dark laugh echoed through the room and instantly the group huddled closer. The robed man entered from a portal of darkness and stood menacingly before them.

      “I see you've found this place...You are drawn to it after all.”

      “That's our cue to leave,” Suho whispered. “Jongin!”

 

      The boy nodded and they all held onto each other. Seconds later, Jongin was teleporting them away, back to their base. The robed man's voice echoed through the void as they left.

      “You can run, but you can never hide...”

 

      They landed outside the building, only to find it swarming with monsters. Jongin groaned and fell to his knees, breathing deeply. His head was aching, but he couldn't understand why. He hadn't used his power that much. Was it because he'd been possessed earlier? Had that drained his energy?

      “Jongin!” Chanyeol called, kneeling beside him. “Are you ok?”

      “Yeah...” He uttered in response.

      “Our hideout's been overrun!” Suho shouted, driving back several wolves with a blast of water. “We need to get somewhere else. Fast!”

      “Jongin's weak! He might not be able to teleport us!” Chanyeol argued.

      “He _needs_ to!” The water guardian emphasized.

 

      Chanyeol frowned and glanced down at the boy. Jongin looked like he'd just run a marathon and gotten beaten up halfway through it. If nothing else, he needed time to recharge a little. They were just going to have to hold off the monsters until then.

 

      The group tried their best to stay together and protect those who couldn't fight. Baekhyun had recovered a little, but he could really only contribute small flashes. Kyungsoo did what he could, but he was still tired and now suffering from a massive headache, so he mostly stayed beside Jongdae as the boy zapped monsters dead on the spot.

 

      Jongin was trying his hardest to overcome the exhaustion and stand up and teleport everyone, although he hadn't the faintest idea of where they would go, but he was still too weak. To make matters worse, another obstacle entered the course. Tao.

 

      The possessed boy's sights were clearly set on only one person, Baekhyun. He was the last known guardian that they hadn't recovered blood from. In his current state, he was an easy target as well.

 

      Luhan tried to launch Tao backwards, but the other boy simply froze time. The next thing anybody knew, Baekhyun was in his arms being dragged away. Kris screamed out for both Tao and Baekhyun, but it had no effect on the time controller. Kris and Luhan tried to go after Tao, but more monsters instantly blocked them. Luhan stayed behind to fight them while Kris ran ahead, needing to get Baekhyun away from Tao.

 

      Baekhyun struggled in Tao's grasp, trying to push himself away from the boy. He glowed as brightly as he could and Tao screamed, dropping Baekhyun to the ground to shield his eyes. Baekhyun vaguely saw the shadow behind Tao, but it was much more connected to Tao than Jongin's had been to him. There was no way he would be able to get rid of it in his current state.

 

      Baekhyun tried to crawl away, his body feeling much heavier than before. He'd used too much of his power. A moment later, Baekhyun felt an agonizing pain in his leg as a blade stabbed through it, into the ground below. He cried out, all his movement halted.

 

      Tao knelt down, breathing heavily as if he were in pain. Baekhyun made one last attempt to glow, but Tao was able to overcome it with ease. He grabbed Baekhyun's head and slammed it into the ground, causing the other boy to stop glowing immediately. Baekhyun was barely conscious by that point. Tao then pulled out a vial and collected his blood. At the same time, Kris came bounding over.

      “Tao, get away from him!” He shouted angrily.

 

      The time controller looked up at him with empty eyes. Kris looked absolutely furious, but it didn't seem to faze Tao in the slightest. He stood up slowly and pulled his sword out of Baekhyun's leg, earning a small yelp from the latter. Tao held the blade up to Kris threateningly.

      “Tao, this isn't you!” Kris exclaimed. “Wake up! Let me help you.”

 

      A single tear dripped down Tao's cheek, and Kris wanted so badly to just reach out to him. He didn't dare when the boy's sword was pointed at him though. Kris may have been an idiot, but he wasn't _that_ stupid. Tao never attacked him, however. Instead, he turned and walked away disappearing in seconds. Kris called out his name, but the boy was gone.

 

      He looked down at Baekhyun, eyes instantly focusing on the bloody leg. He cursed under his breath and knelt down, picking the boy's torso up and holding him close.

      “Oh God, Baekhyun, I'm so sorry,” he whispered. The boy in his arms shook his head tiredly. “Let's get back to the others, ok? Lay will heal this.”

 

      He placed one arm under Baekhyun's back and the other under his knees and picked the boy up off the ground. Baekhyun sighed and rested his head against Kris's chest, barely able to hold it up. He already had a massive headache, and Tao slamming his head against the ground really hadn't helped anything. Kris turned and ran back to the group as fast as he could. When he got there, Lay looked at them fearfully.

      “Tao got his blood,” Kris explained, swooping behind Luhan once more so he was protected. “He got away after that...”

      “We need to go!” Suho urged. “There's no point in staying here, we're sitting ducks. Jongin! Can you teleport yet?”

 

      Chanyeol knelt down beside Jongin once more, rubbing his back. Jongin pushed himself off his hands, so that he was kneeling. The world span around him slightly and he closed his eyes in hopes of making it better. He figured he had one last teleport in him before he completely passed out. He had to make it count.

 

      Where on earth could they go though? Jongin didn't think anywhere in Korea was safe. He actually didn't know if anywhere in the _world_ was safe at this point. It all felt like a lost cause. Suddenly, words echoed through his mind. “ _This is your safe haven. Come here when you feel threatened._ ” The place in his dream would be safe, but was it even real? The logical part of Jongin's mind was telling him it wasn't, but something deep inside him believed otherwise. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

      “I think I know of a place,” he said quietly. Chanyeol's eyes went wide.

      “Will we be safe there?”

      “Yes, I think so...”

      “Will you be alright if you teleport?”

      “Yeah. I'll live.”

      “Alright...Then take us there.”

 

      Jongin nodded and got to his feet. Chanyeol had an iron grip on him once more, keeping him standing for the most part. The fire guardian shouted for the others to gather round and hold on. Sehun and Luhan used what little strength they had left to send all the monsters flying far away from them. During that small amount of time, they all grabbed on to Jongin. He closed his eyes and with the last of his energy, teleported them to what he hoped was actually a real place.

 

      They landed with a rather ungraceful thud in a marble-paved courtyard. Groans resounded from the group, both from pain and utter exhaustion. Jongin opened his his eyes weakly, staring up at the sky around him. The clouds were hanging low, some even brushing past the ground around them. The place was actually real after all. Would they be safe now? The presence of an unknown voice caused the group to immediately tense up once more.

      “I see you finally decided to take my invitation, little teleporter.”


	21. Chapter 21

      Jongin pushed himself onto his knees, staring up at the owner of the voice. It was an old man, skin heavily wrinkled from the passage of time and long, white beard drooping from his chin. He was wearing cream colored robes and had a large wooden staff to help him walk. The old man laughed gleefully and hobbled slowly over to them. The group tensed and scooted backwards on the ground, causing the man to laugh even harder.

      “No need to be scared. I won't hurt you,” he said, voice rough but tone gentle. “I'm just happy to finally see all of you. I was wondering when the little teleporter was going to bring you here!”

      “What...?” Sehun asked, more than a little confused.

      “I sent your teleporter a vision of this place in a dream, telling him this was his safe haven. It took him until now to get here though. This old man was lonely!”

      “S-Sorry...” Jongin mumbled. Chanyeol rubbed his back, staring up warily at the old man.

      “It's quite alright. You're here now and that's all that matters. Now then, let's get everyone situated on their feet once more, shall we?”

 

      Slowly, the group stood up, groaning and holding aching, tired muscles. Kris laid Baekhyun's leg out on the ground, inspecting the damage while grimacing. Before he knew it, Lay was at his side, healing the other boy. The old man frowned at the sight, then walked over to Jongin. He only went up to the middle of Jongin's chest.

      “Oh my! You're not so little, are you?” he chuckled.

 

      Jongin looked at him nervously, at a loss for words. He wasn't even sure who this guy was or if he'd lead them all into a trap. He felt an arm wrap around the back of his waist and pull him closer.

      “Um, if you don't mind me asking...Who are you?” Chanyeol asked.

      “Oh, just an old man who lives in a library~”

      “Right, but do you have a name?” Sehun asked, raising a brow at the old man.

      “It's been so long since anyone called me by my name...What was it again...?”

 

      Sehun's eyes widened and he turned to Suho, twirling his finger to the side of his head, insinuating that the man was crazy. Suho frowned and slapped him lightly on the chest. Sehun coughed and held the abused spot, pouting at the older. Suho rolled his eyes but Sehun could still see the feint smile on his face.

      “Oh! That's right! It was Chungho!” The man exclaimed.

      “Why did you call Jongin here?” Suho asked before Sehun could make another snide comment or action.

      “This place has always been a safe haven for the guardians. Even I have seen the recent destruction. It's not safe down there anymore.”

      “Wait, down there?” Sehun asked.

      “You know about the guardians?” Suho followed, ignoring the younger's question entirely.

      “Oh yes. I knew the original guardians!” Chungho answered happily.

      “Wait, how are you still alive then!?” Sehun gasped.

 

      Suho sighed and wrapped his arm around the boy's neck, pulling him closer into a headlock to Sehun's distress. It took a while before he managed to wrestle out of Suho's grasp, and his face was significantly redder when he did break free.

      “Some things are better left unsaid,” Chungho laughed warmly.

      “Back to the matter at hand,” Suho continued. “You really knew the original guardians?”

      “Yes, we were all very close.”

      “So do you know anything about what's going on now?” Lay asked, getting to his feet after finishing healing Baekhyun.

      “I will tell you everything in time, but I think all the guardians should be here first.” Lay's face fell significantly.

      “That might be hard,” Luhan sighed. “One of the guardians is under that freaky robed guy's control...and we don't even know what other guardians there are...”

      “There were twelve, right?” Minseok asked Suho. The latter nodded. “So that means we're still missing one even if we include Tao...”

      “I wouldn't be too worried about that,” Chungho comforted, laughing a bit at the end. “The last guardian is here with you. His powers are just dormant at the moment.” The man stared at Kris, who looked at him in a daze. “It seems you all aren't as well versed in your powers as you should be. With proper training, it would be easy for you to sense other magical presences.”

      “None of us have had time to train well,” Luhan explained. “Except maybe Suho and Chanyeol...”

      “Even then, we were both self-taught,” Suho sighed.

      “We'll take care of that in time,” the old man said gently.

      “I still want to know about this place,” Sehun spoke up finally. “Earlier you said 'down there.' What did you mean?”

      “Well, this library is currently levitating high in the sky,” the man stated. “So best watch out for the edges.”

      “In the sky!?” Taemin exclaimed. “I thought the clouds were low, but I figured we were on a high mountain or something...”

      “Oh no, we're in the clouds, my boy,” Chungho chuckled. “This place was once on the earth, but when the demon was still at large, the wind and flight guardians combined their powers to keep this building afloat in the sky, where it would be safe and hidden. Their magic has lasted to this day, despite the two having long since passed on. This place is the only safe haven against the demon.”

      “So we're safe here?” Jongdae asked hopefully. “What about that man?”

      “Unfortunately, he _does_ know the location of this building.”

      “So we aren't safe,” Luhan mumbled sadly.

      “It's safer here than it was down there,” the old man reminded grimly.

      “Can we stay here?” Kyungsoo asked, looking around tiredly.

      “Yes, of course. That's why I called you here! This was the original guardians' home. It's only right that it become yours as well.”

      “We can trust you, right?” Jongin asked quietly. The old man looked at him sadly.

      “Yes. This world has thrown you through many hoops, but if there's one thing I can promise you, it's that you can trust old Chungho.”

      “Thank you for the hospitality,” Suho said gently, bowing slightly.

      “Of course. Everything will be explained to you in time. But first, I think some food is in order. You all look like you haven't had a good meal in months! Or a shower for that matter...”

 

      The group looked around at each other. They were wearing dirty, tattered clothing. Some of them had matted hair. They had no doubt lost weight after only eating what they could scavenge. Showers and food sounded really good.

      “I have 7 rooms at my disposal. I'm afraid the other 5 have been filled with books. It _is_ a library after all.”

      “That's fine. We were all sleeping in one room on the floor, so anything's a step up,” Sehun grumbled.

      “Goodness, this is a huge step up! You'll be sharing beds, but it's better than the floor. And once you see my baths, you'll never want to leave! Come on, follow me!”

 

      The group watched the man walk across the courtyard towards the library door. The group huddled closer together, exchanging wary glances.

      “You're really sure we can trust this guy?” Sehun asked Suho nervously. He shook his head slightly.

      “I don't know if we can trust anyone...But for now, it's better here than back at our hideout. We don't really have a choice.”

      “I'm sorry,” Jongin whispered.

      “There's nothing to be sorry about. You saved us. All we can do is see where this takes us.”

 

      They followed the strange old man into the library, where they were greeted with high walls, filled to the brim with bookshelves. Beyond the main room was a hallway that lead to several studies as well as a kitchen and dining area at the far end. Two winding staircases in the main room lead up to the second floor, where all of the guardians' chambers were, as well as several other rooms containing vast amounts of books. If the group went down another hallway on the second floor, it lead to a decent sized changing room with several mirrors and sinks and shelves for various possessions. That was in turn connected to a room containing one of the largest baths the group had ever seen. Chungho hadn't been kidding.

 

      While he worked on making them an actual dinner, the group took turns washing up. Chungho only had generic clothes at his disposal that were slightly outdated in style. The man had gotten them in case he ever came across the guardians, but it was some time ago. They were still an improvement over what the group had been wearing though. This place was already starting to feel a little like home. The group could only hope they could trust the man being so hospitable to them.

 

~*~

      Sehun and Suho slowly stripped off their old, worn clothes and tossed them in a hamper. They were fairly certain Chungho was just going to throw them out, but they didn't have anything better to do with them at the moment. After that, they drew a bath, filling it with one of several fancy soaps Chungho kept around, and slid in, sighing happily as the warm water surrounded their tired bodies.

 

      Sehun had seen Suho shirtless before, but he had been covered in blood after being impaled and it was a memory he didn't want to relive. Seeing Suho now though, Sehun couldn't help but stare. He was surprisingly muscular for his size, far more so than Sehun himself. Suho was insanely attractive in general though. Sehun's eyes stopped on the scar on Suho's side. Sehun never wanted to see that much blood on the other boy again.

 

      A sudden splash of water hit Sehun in the face and he whined. When he could open his eyes again, he pouted at Suho.

      “What the hell!?” He whined.

      “It's not polite to stare, Sehun. I know you're curious, but at least buy me dinner first.”

      “What...? I wasn't staring at that!” Sehun gasped. Suho simply laughed.

      “Mhm, sure.”

 

      Sehun crossed his arms and continued to pout. Suho laid his head back on the rim of the tub, closing his eyes.

      “Don't fall asleep in the water. I won't save you if you drown or shrivel up,” the younger huffed huffed.

      “It would be pretty sad if my own element killed me, wouldn't it?” Suho agreed. He rubbed his eyes tiredly.

      “Have you been able to sleep ok lately?” Sehun asked.

      “I'm pretty sure you know the answer to that,” the other sighed. “I wake you up almost every time I have a nightmare, don't I?”

      “I know...But still, do you get back to sleep afterward?”

      “Sometimes...”

      “Joonmyun...Do you want to talk about it?”

      “Not really. They're nightmares for a reason, Sehun.”

      “Still...Why do you keep everything cooped up? I'm here for you, Joonmyun...”

      “I know. I'll tell you someday, I promise...”

      “Alright...You don't have to do this all by yourself. I'll always be here for you.”

      “That's what I'm scared of,” Suho whispered. “I don't want to lose you.”

      “You won't. I promise.”

      “That's a hard promise to keep.”

      “I'll do whatever it takes to keep it,” Sehun said without any hesitance. Suho looked at him with grateful, yet sad eyes.

      “Thank you...”

 

      He leaned on Sehun's shoulder, and the latter flushed slightly. He always lost his cool when Suho was this close to him. He was thankful he could be a shoulder to lean on though. If he could help Suho even in the slightest, he would do whatever it took. Suho already meant so much to him.

 

      They finished their bath in a comfortable silence. Sehun grimaced at the amount of dirt and grime flowing down the drain. It felt more than amazing to be clean again. Sehun really hoped things would turn out alright here, because he could get used to this.

 

~*~

      Jongdae and Kyungsoo sat beside each other on the bed. They hadn't said a word since Kyungsoo had woken up. Jongdae didn't even know where to start. Did he start by saying it was his fault Kyungsoo almost died? Or should he start by explaining how he was forced to work for an evil man that slaughtered countless innocent people? Nothing seemed like a good ice breaker.

      “How did you get hurt?” Kyungsoo finally asked.

      “What?”

      “Your face is covered in healing bruises...How did that happen?”

      “I was...beaten...”

      “Jongdae, I can tell that much. What's going on? What is this about guardians? How did we get here? How did I do those things earlier? Why does my head hurt so damn much?”

      “We're the descendants of twelve ancient guardians. An evil man attacked all of Korea and our powers awakened. He used you to force me to work for him...All the other guys saved us from that hell. One of the other guardians teleported us here. You're one of the guardians, so that's how you were able to fight. And the headache is from using too much of your power...I know it sounds far-fetched but it's the truth, I swear.” Kyungsoo nodded slowly.

      “I can't believe this...It feels like just yesterday we were walking home from cram school...”

      “I know,” Jongdae said quietly. “It was my fault you got hurt...My power activated and I couldn't control it and I hurt you...I'm so sorry, Kyungsoo. Nothing I say will ever be enough to tell you how sorry I am...”

      “Jongdae...”

      “If you don't forgive me, I understand-”

      “Jongdae, it's ok. I don't honestly even remember the attack. I could never hate you.”

      “But I...”

      “You protected me and continued to do what you could to keep me safe. I could never hate you for that. I'm just...really freaked out right now. And I could really use my boyfriend at my side.”

      “I'm here. I always will be.”

      “Will you hold me?”

 

      Jongdae didn't need to be asked twice. He pulled Kyungsoo to his chest, arms wrapping around him. One of his hands ran up and down his back, while the other rested on his neck, fingers brushing at the ends of his hair. Kyungsoo sighed and closed his eyes, his headache pounding away. All he knew was Jongdae's arms were warm and safe, and he was utterly exhausted.

      “I've been wanting to hold you for so long,” Jongdae whispered. “But I couldn't until now...”

      “But you can now,” Kyungsoo mumbled into his chest. He wrapped his arms gingerly around Jongdae's waist. “And I can finally hold you too.”

 

      Jongdae's hold on him tightened, and Kyungsoo heard the other sniffle. Jongdae didn't cry easily. In fact, neither of them did. After everything that had happened though, a few tears were alright. Kyungsoo sighed as a few drops ran down his cheeks. He was afraid and had no idea what the future was going to hold for either of them, but at least they were both alive and together again. That was all he could really ask for at this point.


	22. Chapter 22

      Chungho fed the group, then they split up into the different bedrooms. Kris had left Baekhyun to rest in one of the rooms since he was unconscious, so he parted from the group first to go back and check on him. Jongdae and Kyungsoo returned to their room next. Chanyeol was quick to pull Jongin to a room with him. Sehun and Suho chose to room together as well. Everyone seemed to split up in their respective couples, though Lay was alone.

 

      Kris checked up on Lay later in the night to make sure he was ok, but he mostly stayed by Baekhyun's side since he wanted to be there when he woke up. He was getting really tired of having to see Baekhyun reduced to this state. He could only hope they'd be safer in this new place than they were before.

 

      Baekhyun woke up some time later, his eyes scanning his surroundings tiredly. He was getting used to waking up in unfamiliar locations now. He felt someone comb their fingers through his hair gently and he glanced over to his left. Kris was sitting beside him, looking down at him worriedly.

      “Hey,” the blond whispered softly.

      “Where are we...?” Baekhyun asked.

      “Jongin teleported us to some library in the sky. Sounds ridiculous, I know, but it's the truth...”

      “Are we safe?”

      “I think so.”

      “Thank God,” Baekhyun sighed. He sat up tiredly and looked at Kris. “And you're ok?”

      “Yeah, I'm fine. It's you I'm worried about...”

      “My leg doesn't hurt anymore, which means Lay healed it, right?”

      “Yeah, he did, but...”

      “Then I'm fine,” Baekhyun reassured him with a gentle smile.

      “But it doesn't change the fact that Tao still hurt you like that...You're really ok?”

      “It hurt and I was scared, but it's over now, isn't it? I don't want to dwell on it anymore...”

 

      Kris nodded and pulled Baekhyun into a tight hug. The latter sighed, letting his head rest against Kris's chest. He wished these moments would last longer and were more frequent. He always got the feeling that Kris was hesitant or reluctant to hold him and he hated it.

      “I promise I won't let Tao hurt you again,” Kris mumbled into his hair.

      “I don't think he'll have a reason to. He already got my blood...Besides, it's not your responsibility to take care of me or control Tao.”

      “Still, I should have kept him away from you...I never wanted you to have to go through all of that. You've already been through too much.” Baekhyun sighed and snuggled closer.

      “It's alright. Tao would've hurt you too, and I don't want that. We're ok now, Kris. So let's just rest while we can and we'll worry about Tao again when we have to.”

      “Yeah...”

 

      Baekhyun readjusted himself in Kris's arms so that he was cuddled up against the other's side. He was still really tired from their last fight, so finding the motivation to get up was pointless. Even when Baekhyun's stomach growled slightly, he didn't care. It had been a while since Kris had held him like this, and Baekhyun wasn't going to give that up. There would be food in the morning, as Kris had happily told him. For now, he just wanted to sleep. It didn't take long before both boys had closed their eyes, drifting off in each other's arms.

 

~*~

      Taemin sighed as he stared out the window in the small room. They'd gone to bed shortly after dinner, and it had been ages since Taemin had slept that well. Having a bed helped a lot obviously. Even with a full night of sleep though, he still felt drowsy. Then again, he almost always felt exhausted because they were constantly running for their lives. It didn't help that he was basically useless. Sometimes he felt like spare luggage dragging the others down, and he hated feeling this way.

 

      He let his head flop against the window glass. The sun was still rising in the sky. It was strange watching it from so high in the air. The light was slowly piercing through the clouds. It was beautiful actually, but Taemin was far too tired and nervous to truly appreciate it. Even though they were supposedly safe, he'd been living in fear for so long, he wasn't sure he would ever be able to fully relax again. Another figure then sat beside him, causing him to jump. That proved his point at least.

      “Hey, you ok?” Onew asked.

      “Yeah...Just tired...”

      “Did you sleep well?”

      “Better than ever,” Taemin laughed. “You?”

      “Same.” There was a lull. “Do you think we'll be able to stay here?” Onew asked next.

      “I hope so. Chungho seems nice so far...and being hidden away in a magic library in the sky with 10 guardians feels a lot safer than our last hideout.”

      “There's food here too,” Onew sighed contentedly. Taemin chuckled a bit and nodded.

      “And there's food,” he agreed. Onew turned his attention to the clouds outside.

      “It's really pretty here,” he mumbled. Taemin hummed in agreement.

 

      Throughout all their time running for their lives, he'd never really heard Onew complain about much. There was no doubt he was afraid. Taemin just had a feeling Onew masked it well, though that wasn't exactly a good quality. It meant he never knew just how the older was feeling. No one could keep everything cooped up forever. At least not healthily.

      “Hey, Jinki,” he called, looking over at the other boy. “How are you feeling?”

      “I'm fine,” Onew responded, somewhat confused about where this was coming from.

      “I mean about everything,” Taemin explained. “Not just right now...You haven't really said much. I just wanna make sure you're ok...”

 

      Onew looked at him for a brief moment and Taemin swore he'd never seen the other boy so worn down. After another sigh, Onew finally spoke up.

      “I'm tired,” he whispered. “I'm tired of running. I'm tired of waking up in the middle of the night each time I hear even a small noise wondering if we're going to be attacked...I'm tired of worrying about whether I'm gonna die today or if I'll live through another day of this hell. I hate this, Taemin. But what can I do about it? Whining won't do anything...”

      “Yeah, but it feels better to talk about it, right?”

      “I guess...”

      “Jinki, you know I'm always here for you, right? Never be afraid to talk to me when you're upset. We have to be here for each other if we're gonna survive this...”

      “I'll try...”

 

      Taemin shifted closer, so that he was more or less sitting on Onew's lap. He wrapped his arms around the older's shoulders and snuggled close. Onew sighed into Taemin's chest, then looked up at him, connecting their lips. When they broke apart, Taemin smiled softly.

      “I love you,” he whispered.

      “I love you too.”

      “We'll get through this. I promise.”

      “I hope so...”

 

      Onew wanted to believe Taemin, but he wasn't so naive as to blindly trust that they'd make it through. Even if they did survive and things calmed down, they would never go back to the way things were. Onew was afraid of what the future held in store.

 

~*~

      Chungho made breakfast and lunch for the boys. They really had to wonder where he got all of his ingredients, but Chungho never really elaborated. All he said was there was a garden out back and he would use magic to procure anything else. None of them could really complain. It was better food than they'd eaten in weeks.

 

      Beyond eating meals, Chungho mostly let them keep to themselves. He encouraged them to rest, which apparently meant they still looked like they were about to drop flat on their faces. It wasn't much of an exaggeration at this point. Most of them spent the day sleeping.

 

      Jongin had laid down with Chanyeol for a nap, but after about an hour, he found himself wide awake and restless. He tapped Chanyeol's shoulder slightly and told him he was going to go meet up with the others who were awake. The fire guardian sleepily agreed and kissed him on the forehead, passing out again shortly after. Jongin flushed, still not used to this kind of treatment from anyone. He let out a shaky breath and fanned his cheeks after sliding out of bed.

 

      He didn't really see anyone inside the library, so he decided to head out to the courtyard. He was surprised when he found Sehun sitting on the steps leading out of the library. Jongin walked over and silently sat down beside him.

      “Hey,” he mumbled.

      “Hey, what's up?” Sehun asked.

      “Couldn't sleep. You?”

      “I just wanted to be outside. It's been a while since we've been able to safely do that, you know? I get stressed being cooped up for so long. My element's wind after all.”

      “I guess,” Jongin agreed.

      “Oh!?” A third voice greeted. They turned around to see Taemin trotting down the steps to sit beside them. “You guys needed some fresh air too?”

      “Yeah,” Sehun answered.

      “Onew and I were watching the sun rise this morning. The view from this library is no joke...”

      “Honestly this place seems too good to be true,” Sehun grumbled. Jongin tensed slightly.

      “Do you think I made the right choice bringing us here?” He asked.

      “Yes,” the other two answered in unison.

      “For now, we're safe,” Sehun sighed. “It's more than we had before. If things go sour here, it's not like we haven't dug ourselves out of bad situations before.”

      “It'd be nice if things didn't go badly for once though,” Taemin sighed.

 

      There was silence between the three, save for the gentle breeze blowing by. Taemin leaned back, inhaling deeply and stretching. Jongin couldn't help but at him. It had been a long time since he'd seen Taemin so at ease.

      “How are you feeling by the way, Jongin?” Sehun asked, looking at him worriedly. “Your neck looks like it could use Lay...” Taemin glanced up sadly at Jongin.

      “I'm ok,” Jongin muttered, running his fingers along one of the bruises. “It hurts, but honestly I'm not that bothered about what happened anymore...”

      “It's amazing you can recover so fast,” Sehun sighed. “I can still see Suho bleeding out in front of me when I close my eyes sometimes...And that wasn't even something that happened to me...”

      “It's still someone you care deeply about, right?” Taemin reasoned.

      “I guess...”

      “I know Chanyeol helped me a lot when I first woke up,” Jongin continued. “It helps to have someone you care about by your side...so I'm sure you really helped Suho through that...And staying near him helps you, right?” Taemin and Sehun raised their eyebrows.

      “You're awfully knowledgeable all of a sudden,” Sehun teased. Jongin blushed once more.

      “I dunno...It's just a thought.”

      “No, you're completely right,” Taemin agreed. “I know being with Onew has helped a lot. Being with you two helps a lot too...Especially with the powers,” he laughed. Jongin smiled softly.

      “There's um...something I wanted to tell you guys actually...”

      “What's that?” Sehun asked.

      “Chanyeol and I...We're um, going out...” Sehun leaned forward so he was staring straight at Jongin in shock.

      “You're serious!?” He gasped. Jongin nodded. “Holy shit...I'm the only one who hasn't made a move on their man now...”

      “Sehun!” Taemin groaned. “How about a 'congratulations, Jongin!'”

      “Yeah, sure. That too,” the youngest mumbled lazily. Taemin rolled his eyes.

      “Well, I'll say it then. Congrats, Jongin. Are you happy with him?”

      “Yeah...I think I really am. Chanyeol's really kind...and warm.” Taemin smiled and ruffled his hair.

      “I'm so happy for you!”

      “It's funny though, isn't it?” Sehun started. “We're technically the last hope for the world, right? Who would have thought we'd all end up gay?”

      “Are we really all gay?” Taemin asked, holding his fingers up to count.

      “With the exception of maybe Suho, Lay, Luhan, and Minseok, yeah,” Sehun explained.

      “Nope, Luhan's totally gay,” a fourth voice spoke up. They turned to find Lay sitting behind them a few steps up.

      “What the hell, how long have you been there!?” Sehun gasped.

      “Nice to see you too,” Lay sighed. “I've been here since a little before Jongin admitted he and Chanyeol were dating. Congrats by the way.” Jongin nodded shyly. “And just in case you were wondering, I'm very gay and I'm pretty sure Minseok is bi. Wouldn't be surprised if Suho was too.”

      “How do you know all this...?” Sehun asked skeptically.

      “Luhan came out to me back in middle school and Minseok has the hots for Luhan, but he doesn't seem like he only has the hots for men. Suho, I'm mostly guessing on, but I think you've got a shot.” It was Sehun that finally blushed this time.

      “Lay,” Jongin spoke up cautiously. “Do you love Tao?”

      “Hm? What makes you say that?” The healer asked.

      “You just seem really attached to him...” Jongin shrugged. Lay smiled sadly and nodded.

      “Well, we've been friends for years, but yeah, I love him. We never actually went for a relationship since we didn't want things to get awkward with Kris or Luhan...but I think if we ever get him back, I'm not gonna hesitate anymore.”

      “ _When_ we get him back,” Sehun corrected. “We will, Lay. No matter what.”

      “Baekhyun managed to save Jongin,” Taemin comforted. “We'll save Tao.”

      “I hope so...Can't say I'm not jealous of all you little shits and your blossoming relationships. Even Kris abandoned me in the single world for Baekhyun. But I still got Sehun and Luhan to keep me company...though if Minseok gets his ass in gear, it's just gonna be you and me, Sehun. So don't court Suho too fast~”

      “Fuck off,” Sehun whined.

      “Oh my! You're all out here?” Chungho called, hobbling down the stairs. “I was going to start dinner soon, but I couldn't find any of my little guardians! What are you doing out here?”

      “Lay's having a pity party and he's trying to drag me into it,” Sehun sighed. “Relationships suck.”

      “TELL ME ABOUT IT!!!!” Chungho burst out, almost in tears. “I've been here alone for centuries just longing for someone to love...But you know what!? I'll never be loved again! And I'm not allowed to love! You know why? BECAUSE I'LL BE LABELED THE OLDEST PEDOPHILE IN HISTORY!!!!!!”

 

      He burst out crying and wrapped his arms around the nearest victim, which happened to be Lay. The healer grimaced and patted the man on the back gently.

      “Yeah...” Sehun mumbled, looking at Chungho in a mixture of fear, shock, and genuine concern. “Pretty sure you win the grand prize...” The old man wiped his dramatic tears and stood up with a sigh.

      “Forgive me, I let myself go a little there. Anyways, come in soon. I'm going to start dinner.”

      “Alright...” Lay mumbled, much less brazen than before. When Chungho was gone, Sehun shook his head.

      “There's no way someone that kooky could try and kill us, right?”

 

      Taemin shrugged, looking just as confused as the rest of them. When they'd finally had their fill of the outdoors, they headed back inside the ancient library. The smell of another warm, cooked meal greeted their nostrils. They were beginning to really like this strange old man and his crumbling library.

 

~*~

      Following dinner, Minseok went outside to the courtyard. He sat near the edge, not close enough to fall off, but close enough to peer down at the land below. The clouds had cleared some, so he was able to see the demolished buildings and empty streets. The destruction ran on for as long as his eyes could see. The monsters clearly hadn't stopped with just Seoul. The entirety of Korea was in a state of disarray.

 

      Another person walked over to Minseok and sat beside him. He glanced over and a gummy smile graced his face when he saw that it was Luhan.

      “Is it ok if I sit with you?” Luhan asked shyly.

      “Of course it is.”

 

      Luhan smiled and scooted just a bit closer to Minseok. He looked over the edge, gulping at just how high up they were. He'd never been good with heights. His face fell when he realized just how empty and destroyed everything was. Minseok looked at him sympathetically and rubbed his back.

      “Do you think the rest of the world is suffering from this?”

      “It's hard to say,” Minseok sighed. “It's not like we've had access to the news...But since no other countries have come to help us, I don't think it's out of the realm of possibilities...Either that or the world has just abandoned us...”

      “It certainly feels that way,” Luhan muttered under his breath. Minseok placed his hand on the other boy's shoulder and pressed him close in a half-hug.

      “We're all still here though. And we've all got each other's backs, alright?”

      “Yeah...Thank you, Minseok.”

      “Anytime, Lu.”

 

      The younger flushed slightly at the nickname. Before he could question it or why Minseok looked so flustered, another voice spoke up behind them. One that was raspy and bone chilling.

      “What a disgustingly sweet scene I'm interrupting.”

 

      The two turned, staring in horror. The robed man was looming over them, crooked smile and yellow teeth sneering at them. He had already found them.


	23. Chapter 23

      Minseok and Luhan tried to get to their feet to put some distance between them and the man, but he was much faster. He grabbed Minseok by the neck and pulled him away from Luhan. The latter tried to rush forward, wanting to pry Minseok from the man's grip, but another arm wrapped around his torso, holding him back. Seconds later, the cold metal of a sharp blade rested against his neck, threatening to cut it with the slightest movement. Luhan was familiar with this particular grip around his waist. It was hostile and rough now, but many times in the past, these very same arms had wrapped around him affectionately.

      “Tao...” He muttered.

 

      The time controller remained silent, knife still pressed dangerously against Luhan's skin. The robed man roughly turned Minseok so he was facing Luhan, grabbing him by the hair and jerking his head forward so he was staring straight into the other boy's eyes.

      “Tell me who the last guardian is,” the robed man growled. “If you don't want your little friend here to die. Any sudden moves and you both go.” Minseok and Luhan exchanged panicked looks.

      “I don't know!” Minseok cried. “Neither of us do!”

 

      The robed man nodded at Tao and the boy pressed the knife into Luhan's skin, just enough to draw blood and elicit a fearful gasp from the him. Tears gathered in Minseok's eyes.

      “I really don't know, I swear! None of us do!”

 

      A fireball came out of nowhere, and the robed man ducked to avoid it. When he glanced up, the other guardians were standing in the courtyard, ready to strike. He let out a cold, amused laugh.

      “So the cavalry arrives,” he grumbled. “Tao, you said you sensed dormant power. Were you lying?”

      “No...The last guardian is here...”

      “We'll have to weed them out then. Kill all the guardians we no longer need. We'll find him with ease then.”

 

      The time controller nodded, immediately digging the knife into Luhan's neck before slashing it across. Minseok screamed and sent icicles shooting out behind him, instantly getting the robed man away from him. He rushed to Luhan right as his body fell to the ground from Tao's grasp. He laid him on his back, looking at his neck, panicking and borderline screaming as blood gushed out. The other boy looked up at him with a pained, scared expression, his mouth trying and failing to form words. Minseok shushed him and ran his hand along his cheek, cupping his face while whispering attempts of comfort.

 

      The robed man and Tao had moved on to trying to take down the other guardians, so Luhan and Minseok were at least left in peace. Minseok didn't know how much longer Luhan would hold on though. He couldn't tell how deep the cut was, but if it had hit a major artery, Luhan was done for. Another form knelt beside Minseok and he almost cried for joy when he saw that it was Lay. The boy started healing Luhan's neck immediately, and Minseok watched as the nasty gash gradually got smaller. He' never been so grateful to have healing on their side.

 

      Tao and the robed man both put up a good fight against the other guardians. Tao had managed to injure both Chanyeol and Suho by sneaking up on them. Sehun had since shrouded Suho in a wind shield and was doing his best to protect the other injured people. Chanyeol insisted on keeping Jongin close since the latter really couldn't do much to defend himself.

 

      Tao then turned his attention to Kyungsoo and Jongdae, while the robed man was trying to take down Baekhyun. Sehun and Chanyeol would try their best to pitch in, and even Suho would offer assistance when he could, but the robed man was far too strong. Baekhyun was a sitting duck. Thankfully, the light seemed to hurt the robed man more than any other element, so Baekhyun could at least keep him away, but it would only be a matter of time before his power faltered.

 

      Kris, Taemin, Onew, and Chungho watched from just inside the library doors. The old man had forbidden them from going outside during all this chaos, but it was hard to watch their friends suffering. It was especially hard for Kris to watch Tao doing this to everyone. What was worse was Baekhyun was in danger, and he had absolutely no power to help him.

 

      Eventually, the robed man got the upper hand on Baekhyun, grabbing him and pinning him to the ground. That was all it took for Kris to push past Chungho and rush out onto the battlefield.

      “Leave him alone!”

 

      Before he could get close to the man, Tao flashed in front of him, dagger held centimeters from his chest. Kris narrowed his eyes at him.

      “Don't do this, Tao,” he pleaded quietly.

      “Is he the one?” The robed man asked, looking up from Baekhyun. The time controller nodded slowly. “Who would have thought he'd give himself up for such a weakling.”

 

      Dark wisps oozed off of the robed man and wrapped around Baekhyun, constricting him. Even the slightest contact sent pain searing through Baekhyun's body, and he screamed out in agony. Kris tried to take a step forward but Tao threatened him with the knife once more. Jongdae raised his hand to strike, but the robed man was much faster, sending wisps up from the ground and holding them all down. Kris was on his own now.

      “Get his blood,” the robed man growled. “Even while his power is dormant, his blood will suffice.”

 

      Kris looked at Tao sadly, putting his hands up. He knew there was nothing he could do to protect himself except talk to him, but even that seemed useless.

      “Tao, don't do this...I know you're in there.”

 

      The time controller, looked at him with empty eyes before plunging the dagger into his chest. Kris gasped, wincing and faltering backwards, but Tao held him up, pulling out a vial to collect the blood dripping from his chest. Baekhyun screamed, trying to wriggle out of the dark wisps and man's hold, but it was no use.

 

      When the vial was full, Tao removed the knife and let Kris fall to his knees, gasping and gripping his chest in pain. Tao stood there, motionless, looking at him. The latter could see the beginning of tears in his eyes and he knew that Tao was dying inside.

      “Tao, it's ok. You don't have to do this...”

      “What are you waiting for?” The robed man hissed. “Bring it to me!”

      “No...” Tao uttered, voice barely audible. The robed man narrowed his eyes.

      “What did you say?” He growled.

      “No.” The response was louder this time and Kris's heart jumped slightly. Tao was fighting back.

      “Very well. You're of no use to me anymore.”

 

      The robed man let go of Baekhyun, though his wisps lingered. He approached Tao menacingly and grabbed the vial from the boy's hand. Then he gripped Tao by the neck, lifting him off the ground. Kris tried to get up, but he received a rough kick to his wound, leaving him curled up on the ground in pain. Tao grabbed at the man's hand, gasping for breath.

      “Let him go,” Kris wheezed. The man smirked at him.

      “So this one is important to you as well?” He sneered. “How far are you willing to go for him?”

 

      He walked to the edge, taunting Kris by dangling Tao in the air. Kris growled and pushed himself onto his feet, holding his chest.

      “Don't you dare...” The blond threatened.

      “What will you do?” The robed man laughed. “Follow him off the edge? Be my guest.” The man let go and Kris watched in horror as Tao plummeted down.

      “TAO, NO!” He screamed. Lay cried out as well.

 

      Kris felt a burning sensation in his chest. It was anger mixed with something else, something far more powerful. His limbs felt almost weightless, similar to when they teleported, but different. He knew it was suicide to go after Tao, but somehow, his instincts were telling him otherwise. He decided to trust them and charged towards the man, then jumped off the edge of the platform.

      “KRIS, DON'T!” Baekhyun cried, but it was too late. His boyfriend was gone.

 

      The robed man laughed and looked around at the other guardians. They were going to be easy to pick off in this condition.

      “Now, who should I deal with next? The healer? Or perhaps the little light bulb...”

 

      He returned to Baekhyun, kneeling beside him and grabbing him by the hair, forcing him to look up at him. Tears were streaming down his cheeks and he wasn't even trying to fight back. The robed man could do nothing but laugh.

      “Looks like his devotion to you was only so much. In the end, you'll always be alone,” he sneered. “Hope is worthless.”

 

      He raised his hand and darkness whirled around his palm. Baekhyun squirmed and whimpered, trying in vain to get away. His light wasn't enough to outshine the darkness. Before the robed man could hurt him further, another voice echoed across the courtyard.

      “That's enough, don't you think, Daejung?” Chungho shouted. The robed man stopped and glared over at the old man.

      “If it isn't Chungho? I'm amazed you're still living.”

      “I could say the same about you,” Chungho stated. “You're only 5 years younger than me, you know? To think this is what you've become. Why are you doing this?”

      “You know why,” Daejung growled. Chungho shook his head.

      “Don't do this, Daejung! It's foolish! You're sacrificing everything!”

      “I don't care. This world can rot!”

 

      Daejung let go of Baekhyun and charged at Chungho. The old man was hardly fast enough to dodge. Daejung kicked him repeatedly, crooked smile on his face. Chungho curled up on himself, taking hit after hit. The guardians tried to fight their dark restrains to help, but they were too weak.

 

      Suddenly, Daejung cried out in pain, stumbling forward. A dagger was nested in his shoulder now. His control over the darkness faltered and the guardians used that opportunity to break free, getting to their feet once more. Daejung turned to face his attacker and his eyes narrowed.

      “You...How?”

      “Flight, bitch,” Kris growled.

 

      He was holding with an unconscious Tao and breathing heavily. Jongdae, Kyungsoo, and Sehun immediately joined his side, ready to strike. Daejung simply smirked.

      “You think you can fight me, but you're sorely mistaken. Besides, I already have everything I need.”

 

      He took a few steps back and darkness swarmed around him. Sehun put up a wind shield just in case, but instead, Daejung surrounded himself in darkness. Seconds later, he was gone.

 

      Kris fell to the ground with Tao, groaning tiredly. Lay rushed over from where he'd been with Minseok and a now unconscious Luhan and knelt beside Kris. He raised his hand to heal him, but Kris stopped him.

      “Chungho's hurt. Heal him first,” he breathed.

 

      Lay frowned but did as told, noting how Chungo wasn't moving. Kris laid Tao down on the ground then glanced back towards his boyfriend.

      “Baekhyun, can you help him?”

 

      The light guardian pushed himself up off the ground, his limbs shaking. He was tired and still in pain, but he knew he needed to take care of Tao, regardless of what he was feeling. He had to be strong now. He walked over tiredly and knelt beside Kris.

      “Can you see a shadow on him?” The blond asked.

      “Yeah...It's got a much stronger grasp on him than the one on Jongin had. It's gonna hurt him, and you might have to hold him down...”

      “Just help him,” Kris sighed. “Sehun, Jongdae, will you help?”

 

      They walked over and knelt down. One held Tao's arms while the other held his legs. Kris looked at Baekhyun and nodded. The light guardian took a deep breath began to glow. His head ached, but he ignored the pain and grabbed on to the shadow. He began pulling, and Tao let out a bloodcurdling scream. Both Kris and Lay, who'd finished healing Chungho by then, began consoling him, frantically sputtering gentle words and encouragements, not that it would help the suffering boy.

 

      Baekhyun could hardly concentrate through the screaming and his throbbing headache, but he still managed to slowly sever the shadow from the boy. When it was mostly out, Baekhyun gave one last tug, causing Tao's back to arch off the ground as an agonizing scream escaped his lips. The darkness hovered around Baekhyun's hand and Tao's body fell limp. The darkness then started snaking up Baekhyun's arm and he quickly glowed brighter, destroying it before it could get too far.

      “Is he ok now?” Lay asked in disbelief.

      “He should be. The light guardian purified him,” Chungho explained tiredly.

      “You're awake!” Jongdae exclaimed.

      “It was a little hard to sleep through all the noise,” the man chuckled.

 

      Baekhyun's head was spinning and he could barely see straight. Why did pulling the shadows out always leave him so drained? He tried to call out to Kris, but he was too weak. He fell backwards, just as he lost consciousness.

      “Baekhyun!” Kris gasped, grabbing the boy before he could collapse on the ground. He snuggled him close, placing a kiss on his head. “I'm so sorry to put you through this,” he whispered.

 

      Lay then reached for his chest and began healing his wound. Kris looked at him sadly. He could tell just how exhausted Lay was, but the healer still made an effort. When he was done, he smiled at Kris, a mixture of relief and happiness.

      “Kris...He's back,” Lay practically sobbed.

      “Yeah, he is...”

      “I hate to interrupt the moment,” Chungho sighed, wearily getting to his feet and picking up his staff. “But I think it's best if we get back inside for now. The guardians need rest.”

      “Yeah,” Lay agreed.

 

      Sehun and Jongdae helped Tao onto Lay's back, then the healer tiredly walked inside the library. He would have to heal everyone's injuries later when he'd recovered some of his energy. After Lay, Sehun went back to Suho and Kai supported Chanyeol as they all headed inside. Kris lifted Baekhyun into his arms and nodded at Chungho before following the others. The old man sighed sadly, shaking his head.

      “You did a great thing today, little light guardian,” he mumbled to himself. “But a very dangerous one as well. I'll have to keep my eye on you. There hasn't been a light guardian that could use that technique...Not since Daejung, himself. You might just be the one to end all of this...”

 

      He hobbled into the library, Taemin and Onew instantly forcing him to sit down and rest. They handled preparing dinner that night since everyone was so exhausted. Baekhyun and Tao never woke up to eat. The rest of evening was spent in silence, a solemn atmosphere taking over the library. They had survived somehow, and even found the last guardian and saved Tao, but at what cost? They had no idea what Daejung was planning now. All they knew was that they were terrified.


	24. Chapter 24

      When Lay woke up the following morning, he'd never been so relieved to see Tao at his side. The boy was sleeping peacefully, thick underlids wrapped in dark bags. He was no doubt still exhausted from being possessed for so long. He looked like he'd gotten thinner as well. Lay sighed and snuggled closer, wrapping his arm around the boy's waist. He heard a tired groan and glanced up to see fluttering eyelashes and the slow revelation of two tired, dark eyes.

      “Good morning,” Lay said gently. “How do you feel?”

 

      Tao didn't respond, but his brows furrowed as his groggy brain processed where he was. Suddenly, he sat up frantically, looking around in a panic. Lay groaned, his arm having been flung off the boy during the movement, and sat up. He placed his hands on Tao's shoulders and gave them a gentle squeeze.

      “It's ok,” Lay soothed. “You're safe now. That man is gone. He won't hurt you anymore.”

      “Y-Yixing...?” Tao muttered, looking at the healer as if he was afraid this were all a dream.

      “I'm here,” he whispered, cupping Tao's cheeks.

 

      The boy brought his hand's up to Yixing's, trembling slightly as he felt soft, warm skin. This was real. Tears gathered in his eyes and his shoulders shook. Seconds later, Tao had planted his face into Yixing's chest, tears rolling down his cheeks. He didn't particularly try to be quiet as he wailed into the fabric of Yixing's shirt either. The latter couldn't help but smile. This was the boy he knew and loved.

      “I'm so sorry,” Tao sobbed.

      “Shh, it's ok. It wasn't your fault.”

      “But I hurt you...and them...I almost killed-”

      “Shhh!” Lay interrupted, holding Tao closer. “They know you were possessed. They don't blame you for any of it, so you shouldn't either.”

      “I'm so sorry,” Tao whispered.

 

      Lay simply held him close, rocking him slightly as he cried. It felt almost unreal to have Tao back in his arms, but Lay was certain he wouldn't ever let go of him again. They stayed in each other's hold for quite some time until there was a knock on the door. It opened gently and Suho poked his head in.

      “Hey, Chungho wanted to talk to all of us, so come to the dining room soon, ok?” He stated. His gaze met Tao's and his eyes widened slightly. “Oh! You're up. That's good to know.”

      “We'll be there soon, Suho,” Lay answered, rubbing Tao's back as the boy tensed nervously.

      “Alright. It's uh, good to see you're doing better...Tao was it?” The water guardian started.

      “Yeah,” Lay answered for the boy. Suho nodded and smiled warmly.

      “I'll see you both at breakfast, alright?”

 

      Suho shut the door and Lay sighed, looking down at Tao. It was going to be quite a challenge to get him out of the room if he was this afraid of Suho. After all, Suho was probably one of the kindest people in the group. Not that he anticipated anyone being mean to Tao. He wouldn't allow it. Still, it was going to take some time for everyone to become natural around each other, and Lay knew that.

      “Let's go, ok? Chungho cooks a pretty good breakfast.”

      “I can't...I'm scared!”

      “Tao, they're not going to hate you. Suho was completely fine with you, wasn't he? They all know where you're coming from. Especially Chen and Jongin because they were both victims of that man too.”

      “But I stabbed that guy who was just here...I hurt you too...And that light guardian. Even Yifan!”

      “Tao! It's ok. The light guardian, who's name is Baekhyun by the way, is the one that saved you. I can promise you he doesn't hate you! Besides, he's Yifan's boyfriend now. You're probably going to end up being around him a lot.”

      “Y-Yifan's boyfriend!?”

      “Mhm. A lot's happened,” Lay said simply. “Honestly though, Tao. The others all understand the situation you were in. They might be awkward around you because they don't know you, but none of them will hate you. Alright? So let's go get some food to eat. I bet it's been ages since you had a good meal!”

 

      Tao nodded, grimacing, and Lay got off the bed, pulling Tao along with him. He held the boy's hand as they headed out of the room and down the hall. Along the way, Lay spotted a familiar, tall blond and he smiled.

      “Kris!” He called out.

 

      Said boy had been talking to Baekhyun in the hallway at the time, cupping his cheeks and triple checking that the other was definitely alright after yesterday's battle. When he turned and saw Tao, he froze, jaw gaping slightly. Baekhyun looked between the two, trying to figure out if Kris was happy or upset to see Tao. Finally, the blond bolted over, leaving Baekhyun alone, and pulled Tao into an embrace. Baekhyun had his answer at least.

      “Tao, you're up!” Kris exclaimed. He squeezed the flustered boy tightly before shifting his hands on his shoulders, looking at him worriedly. “Are you alright?”

      “I-I'm fine...” Tao answered weakly. He could feel Lay smirking at him.

      “Thank goodness! We were so worried about you. I'm so glad you're back...”

      “W-What about you? I hurt you, didn't I?”

      “Lay healed me right up. It's alright!”

      “He healed you...?”

      “Yeah! You didn't know he was the healer?”

      “A lot of details are still really fuzzy,” Tao mumbled sadly. Kris nodded and squeezed his shoulders again.

      “It's alright. Just take your time and adjust, ok? We're all here for you.”

      “I told you it would be alright,” Lay whispered into Tao's ear, earning a shy nod in response. “Let's go get breakfast now, sound good?”

      “Y-Yeah...”

 

      Tao walked with Lay, practically snuggled against his hip. Kris walked alongside them and held his hand out for Baekhyun to grab. He looked at it hesitantly before taking it and being lead along by the blond. He hated the feeling of jealousy pooling in his stomach. He shouldn't be like this.

      “Tao, this is Baekhyun by the way,” Kris explained, letting go of Baekhyun's hand in favor of wrapping his arm around the boy's shoulders. “He's the light guardian who saved you, and uh...my boyfriend.”

 

      Baekhyun couldn't help but smile at the word and how flustered Kris was whenever he said it. Kris's feelings were genuine, right?

      “T-Thank you for saving me,” Tao muttered, bowing slightly.

      “Of course,” Baekhyun gasped awkwardly. “I wasn't going to just leave you like that...”

      “Still, thank you. I'm so sorry for everything I've done.”

      “It's alright...”

 

      Baekhyun wasn't really sure what else to say. He knew Tao wasn't in control when he attacked any of them, but he wasn't exactly used to the other boy's presence either. Kris seemed immediately smitten with him, and Baekhyun knew he shouldn't have been annoyed, but he was. He didn't want to make a big deal out of that though, so there was nothing to say. Thankfully, they reached the dining hall in a short amount of time.

 

      When they entered, all the others and Chungho were already there. People glanced at Tao with wide eyes, but offered small nods or bows, even smiles, before getting back to breakfast. In the end, food always seemed to smooth things out. When everyone was seated and eating breakfast, Chungho decided to speak up.

      “Now, since we finally have all the guardians present, there's much to discuss,” he sighed. “Since not everyone here knows me, my name is Chungho. I'm the brother of the original wind guardian.”

      “Wait, so doesn't that make you like Sehun's ancient great uncle?” Taemin asked.

      “Indeed it does,” the old man chuckled. Sehun's jaw dropped.

      “You've got to be joking...” He grumbled, receiving a smack on the arm from Suho.

      “Anyways,” Chungho continued, slightly offended. “While I may not be a guardian, I do have magic capabilities. I was appointed to look after the future generations of guardians, which is why I sent Jongin the message to bring you all here. It's quite a miracle that you all managed to find each other, even when your powers were dormant. It made my job much easier.”

      “How come Kris's powers were dormant for so long?” Baekhyun asked curiously.

      “Your powers were all triggered by strong emotions. Some of you were triggered by fear,” he stated, glancing at Jongdae, Kyungsoo, Tao, and Baekhyun. “Others had a strong desire to protect someone.” He then glanced at Kris, Chanyeol, Sehun, Minseok, and Luhan. “Still others had their powers activated from happiness,” he stated, looking at Lay. “Sadness.” This time he looked at Jongin. “And rage,” he said darkly, looking solemnly at Suho. This didn't escape Sehun's notice.

      “How do you know all this?” Luhan asked skeptically.

      “Each of you have your own unique aura when it comes to your magic. While it doesn't affect your powers directly, it does change the overall feel of your magic. Although sometimes it can affect your fighting style if you're a particularly angry person, but this generation doesn't seem to have that problem. I can also tell from the maturity of your magic, about how long each of you have had your powers. For most of you, they were very recent awakenings, but 3 of you have had them longer.”

      “Three?” Minseok asked. “Chanyeol and Suho had them the longest, I know that much, but...”

      “Lay's had his powers for about a year,” Chungho explained, chuckling. “Quite the fun awakening too if I might add.” The entire group stared at Lay and he turned bright red.

      “I was happy, ok?” The healer huffed.

      “I'd say it was more ecstasy than simple happiness,” Chungho laughed. “What's the term for it now? Bow chika wow wow?” Lay's jaw dropped and Sehun groaned.

      “That is _not_ the term for it now,” the wind guardian grumbled.

      “Wait! Lay, you had sex!?” Luhan gasped. “And here I thought we told each other everything...”

      “I didn't tell you cuz it was embarrassing and I wound up breaking up with him like 2 weeks later,” Lay whined.

      “Still! You could have at least told me about the powers!”

      “Like you would have believed me! You would have thought I was crazy just like he did!”

      “The instant you healed a paper cut, you know I would have come around!”

      “You don't even deny it,” Lay sighed exasperatedly. Chungho cleared his throat, silencing both boys.

      “Well, squabbles aside, Lay's had his power for a little while longer which was why he struggled less in the beginning. Chanyeol and Suho have had theirs the longest, as you stated previously.”

      “Why do we even have powers?” Minseok asked. “Why's there some freak taking our blood? What's going on?”

      “There is much to explain,” Chungho sighed. “But we have some time. I'll tell you more the next time you eat. For now, rest and wash up. Make yourselves at home.”

      “What if he comes back?” Kyungsoo asked worriedly.

      “He won't,” Chungho stated sadly. “He has everything he needs. He won't be bothering with us for now.” Before the group could ask further questions, the old man waved his hands. “Go! I'm tired. I'll tell you everything, I promise, just be patient.”

 

      The group exchanged looks but begrudgingly let it go. Chungho was the closest thing to an answer they'd had in a long time, so they would just have to trust him. Most of them went back to their rooms or scavenged the library for interesting books. Luhan, Kris, and Lay all took Tao back to Lay's room to catch up on things. That left Baekhyun to his own devices, not feeling the least bit better than he was earlier. At least there were plenty of small corners in the library to curl up and read.

 

~*~

      When Sehun and Suho got back to their room, the younger gently shut the door, leaning against it. He stared at Suho, trying to find a way to bring up what Chungho had said. He must have looked pretty troubled because the other smiled at him sympathetically.

      “What's up?” He asked. “You wanna talk about something, right?”

      “About what Chungho said earlier...When our powers awakened, we all felt different things, right?” Suho nodded. “He said rage and looked at you...Joonmyun, what happened?”

      “Sehun...Let's not talk about that, ok?”

      “Why not!?”

      “Because I don't want to!” Suho shouted, more scared than angry. Sehun looked at him sadly and sighed.

      “The nightmares...They're about what happened in the past, aren't they?” Suho didn't respond. “Joonmyun, it obviously still haunts you. Why are you keeping it cooped up!?”

      “What good is telling you going to do? You can't magically make it stop...”

      “But you can confide in me...I can support you,” Sehun practically whispered.

 

      He was dying for Suho to let him in and stop being a stranger. He was there for him, and he always would be. Suho sighed once more and sat down on the bed, patting the spot next to him.

      “Fine. I'll tell you if you really have to know.”

      “Really?” Sehun gasped, rushing over to Suho's side. He hadn't expected the other to give in so easily. Suho took a shaky breath before beginning.

      “I think I was about 7 at the time. My family still lived with my grandparents. We were a close-knit family. The legend had still been passed down to my grandfather, so I learned of the guardians and the demon that way, but there hadn't been a new generation water guardian yet. My grandfather had his suspicions it would be me. I was always skeptical of it and never believed him though. But then that day happened...”

      “That day?” Sehun asked, mostly in an attempt to urge the other to continue. Suho let out a shaky breathe and wiped at one of his eyes.

      “I came home from school one day. My house was out in the country, so there weren't any neighbors to witness anything...My house had partially collapsed. That should have been a sign to leave, right? But I was a stupid kid apparently...I went inside to check on my family...”

      “W-What happened?” Sehun asked, nervous now.

      “My grandfather was dead on the doormat,” Suho answered, voice strained. “He was covered in so much blood...”

      “Joonmyun...”

      “I heard shouting from the kitchen, so I went to look. I was so scared for my parents, I just wanted to find them and get out. When I saw my dad, he was floating in the air by some invisible force. There was a man in a dark robe with his hand extended towards my dad, asking about the water guardian.”

      “Was it Daejung?” Sehun asked darkly. If that man had done something so horrible to Suho's family, Sehun would make sure he paid.

      “No...This man was different. His presence and powers were far more malicious...”

      “So then...What happened to your father?”

      “He wouldn't say anything. So that man threw him through the window where a shadow wolf was waiting...You can imagine what happened from there...”

      “Y-Yeah...”

      “My mother suffered much worse. She'd been hiding in the pantry, but of course he found her. He could sense her, and probably me now that I think about it, but he was enjoying this too much...He didn't question her as long as he did my father. I think he knew she wouldn't say anything either.”

      “So what did he do?” Sehun asked apprehensively. He _really_ didn't want to hear anymore, but he couldn't back out now.

      “He tore her limb from limb,” Suho choked out, covering his mouth in an attempt to stop a few sobs from coming out.

 

      Sehun instantly wrapped his arms around the boy and pulled him to his chest, rubbing his back. Suho didn't even try to pull away, instead, he rested his head on Sehun's chest and cried silently. It was a few moments before he spoke again, voice heavy with tears.

      “I still hear her screams in my nightmares...”

      “How did you get out of this hell?”

      “I'd been in a daze until then, but as soon as that man turned to attack me, I went into a rage...I just remember screaming and red. So much red...I wanted to strangle that man, to drown him in all the blood he'd shed. I guess my power granted my wish, because the surrounding blood attacked him. It was my first time controlling blood, or anything for that matter...And I never wanted to do it again.”

      “Did you kill him?”

      “No...He seemed more than happy to have found the water guardian. If he wasn't such a sick bastard, he probably would have killed me then, but he left, smiling this deranged grin...saying he'd be back someday. After that, I passed out.”

      “Understandably so,” Sehun mumbled.

      “I was taken from my house and brought to live with my aunt, but it seemed that man had other means of drawing me out and making me miserable. She met the same fate as my father when I was at school one day. If I hadn't had an alibi, I probably would have been a murder suspect in both hers and my parent's mysterious deaths.”

      “I'm so sorry,” Sehun whispered into Suho's hair.

      “When she died, I had no one left. I was only 10. I was transferred to an orphanage then...It was the talk of the school. Kids thought it was great to bully me. Some even beat me up. That was when I met Chanyeol. He was another orphan, 8 at the time, and he defended me. His powers activated then and he set a bush on fire.” Suho managed a small laugh. “He was so freaked out, but I showed him my power, obviously by putting the bush out. We decided it wasn't safe for us to stay near other people, so we left as soon as we were remotely competent at taking care of ourselves. I think he was 13 and I was 15. We've been together ever since.”

      “I can't believe you've endured all of it this long...Does Chanyeol know what happened to your family?”

      “Not in detail, but he knows the nightmares are because of them. You're the only other person I've ever told.”

      “Thank you for trusting me,” Sehun stated, snuggling Suho closer.

      “Don't thank me...It's not exactly something anyone would want to know.”

      “But still, I know what happened now, so I can understand you better. And I can be there for you. I'll always be here, so don't be afraid to lean on me.”

      “I don't want to lose you,” Suho said quietly, wrapping his arms around Sehun's waist. “I won't be able to handle losing anyone else.”

      “You won't lose me. I promise.”

      “You said that before, but that's still a hard promise to keep...”

      “I'll keep it, I swear. We'll both live through this, alright? That'll be our promise to each other.”

      “Alright...” Suho conceded. He wasn't sure he believed what Sehun said was possible, but the thought was nice. “Sehun?”

      “Hm?”

      “Thank you.” Sehun hugged him tighter.

      “You're welcome.”

 

      After that emotionally draining talk, Suho decided he wanted to rest a little before Chungho called them out for their next meal and discussion. Sehun figured that was a good idea. Suho never got enough sleep after all.

 

      He laid down beside Suho and wrapped his arm around him. The other seemed flustered at first, but eventually, he nestled closer, his nose pressed to Sehun's chest. The younger watched as Suho's eyelids drooped shut and eventually stayed shut. He pressed a kiss to the top of his head and sighed. He whispered one last thing, though he doubted Suho was awake to hear it.

      “I'll protect you from now on. I promise.”


	25. Chapter 25

      Chungho rested through lunch. It seemed that even though Lay had healed him, the previous encounter with Daejung had left the old man exhausted nonetheless. They couldn't really blame him either. They were still worn out as well. The group finally reconvened for dinner and Chungho began explaining as soon as everyone was digging into their food.

      “I suppose I'll start from the beginning,” the old man sighed. “In ancient times, the land and the heavens were one with each other. The goddess of the land actually dwelt among the people, and she loved mankind greatly...But soon, darkness crept its way into their hearts.”

      “So kinda like every other creation story out there?” Sehun asked.

      “I suppose you could say that,” Chungho chuckled. “Although this is less about the creation of man and more the creation of a demon.”

      “Where did the darkness come from?” Baekhyun asked.

      “It had always been there, my boy. The problem is it started consuming mankind. Humanity grew cold and vicious. Those that didn't fall to the darkness directly became victims of others who did. It broke the goddess's heart. She tried to fight the darkness, but it soon overwhelmed her.”

      “Wait...If a goddess couldn't even defeat the darkness, what chance do we have against it?” Luhan gasped.

      “The goddess's power came from humanity's faith in her and that was dwindling. You could say the darkness attacked her weakness. All that remained to give her strength were her loyal followers and the Tree of Life.”

      “The Tree of Life?” Chanyeol asked, furrowing his brow. “What good is a tree?” Chungho laughed heartily.

      “It was a tree that grew in the center of the land and contained most of its power. When the darkness invaded, it stood strong, but it started to wither and die as things became more grim. If the Tree of Life died, there would be no hope for the land or its people, so when things seemed to be at their worst, the goddess devised a plan.”

      “That's where the guardians come in, isn't it?” Suho asked. Chungho nodded.

      “Right you are, my boy. The goddess gathered her 12 most loyal and pure-hearted followers together. I was there as well though, so I suppose it was 13 of us. She was so solemn that day. I'd never seen her so disheartened.”

      “What did she do with the guardians?”

      “She split the Tree of Life apart, instilling some of its power into each of the guardians. That would in turn protect the tree from dying, but its power would no longer fuel the land.”

      “But then how are we supposed to fight this darkness now?” Minseok asked. “The Tree of Life isn't standing anymore. The goddess couldn't do it and neither could the tree, so how are 12 high school students supposed to make a difference?”

      “You all have far more strength than you're aware of. And the darkness isn't necessarily what you're up against right now.”

      “What do you mean?” Jongdae asked this time.

      “After leaving the tree in safe hands, she chose to take on the darkness by herself. She wasn't strong enough to completely destroy it, so she let it consume her instead.”

      “What good did that do!?” Sehun grumbled.

      “Not a lot for her,” Chungho sighed. “But for the rest of the world, a great deal. You see, when she was consumed, the darkness fused with her, preventing it from further polluting the land...But in exchange, she became a demon.”

      “So wait...The demon that we've been hearing about is her?” Baekhyun asked.

      “I'm afraid so. The guardians sealed her away deep within the earth to prevent any further destruction. The seal has weakened over time though.”

      “And that Daejung guy wants to break the seal and release the demon again,” Kris stated, trying to link everything together.

      “That's right,” Chungho sighed. “Only guardian blood can break the seal.”

      “And he has all of our blood now,” Suho groaned.

      “Why does he want to release the demon though?” Baekhyun asked. “Is he just an evil asshole or is there a reason?” Chungho chuckled.

      “It's funny you should ask that, little light guardian. Daejung was actually the original light guardian.”

      “What!?” Everyone gasped simultaneously.

      “How!? Are we both light guardians?”

      “No, no...Daejung is no longer the light guardian. He passed his power on to your ancestors.”

      “But why? Why would he be doing all this if he was originally a guardian?” Kyungsoo asked. “Shouldn't he understand better than anyone?”

      “Daejung took the loss of the goddess much worse than the other guardians...He'd been very fond of her. Too fond...”

      “He loved her, didn't he?” Jongin asked.

      “Yes. Very much. It broke his heart when they trapped her away. He'd always been against it, saying there had to be another way. I think when they sealed her away, the darkness flooded his heart as well. He became more distant, and no one heard from him again. The next thing we knew, there was a new light guardian joining us, saying the power had been transferred to him. We didn't believe it was possible until then. I had assumed Daejung was dead for quite some time, but as it turns out, he'd been living off the darkness until now. It was quite a disappointment.”

      “So he wants to free her for what purpose? He can't save her,” Luhan said sadly.

      “I don't know if he even cares about that anymore,” Chungho responded. “It's impossible for me to tell what his intentions or reasons are.”

      “Now that he has our blood, how long is it until he breaks the seal?” Lay asked. “Will she be wreaking havoc by breakfast?”

      “Thankfully, no. The ritual to break the seal must be performed on the same day that the guardians sealed her away.”

      “And when was that?” Kris asked. “Did you keep track of the date?”

      “Oh yes, it's hard to forget such a day,” Chungho muttered. “It's in 2 weeks.”

      “So soon,” Suho mumbled worriedly.

      “We have some time,” the old man comforted. “I'll be training all of you from now on to prepare you. The only way we can stop this catastrophe is by taking Daejung down before he can free her. You'll need lots of time to train yourselves, so be prepared to work. I'm afraid your lives will be hard from now on.”

      “I think we're used to it,” Minseok muttered under his breath. Chungho smiled sadly.

      “Well, I can promise you'll be safer here, but there's much more on the line now. I'm sorry so much responsibility fell on your shoulders.”

 

      The group glanced amongst each other. It was amazing how nothing seemed to surprise them anymore, even being told that the fate of the world was in their hands. The dread they felt certainly got worse though. Now they had an actual date to worry about. It was no longer a question of whether they would have a battle. There _would_ be one. It was just the outcome that mattered now.

 

      They finished eating in silence and eventually headed off to their rooms. When Baekhyun was about to leave, Chungho grabbed his hand, pulling him back into the dining room. The boy looked up at him in confusion.

      “What is it?” He asked

      “You can purify darkness, can't you?” Chungho inquired.

      “I...Yes? I think so...”

      “You saved that Tao boy from the darkness.”

      “Jongin as well,” Baekhyun added.

      “You must be careful with that power. It's a very dangerous skill.”

      “What do you mean?”

      “I'm sure you've noticed, the darkness tried to consume you as well when you purified them, right?” Baekhyun nodded slowly. “You're the strongest force against the darkness, but you're also the most at risk. Just be sure to be careful and make sure you have enough energy to fight back.”

      “A-Alright...I understand.”

      “Good! Now, go on and be with your friends. We've got a rough day ahead of us.”

 

      Chungho smiled as he watched Baekhyun go, but his heart felt heavy. Despite trying to remain calm in front of the guardians, he had a genuinely bad feeling about the coming confrontation.

 

      When Baekhyun left the dining hall, Kris was waiting for him. The shorter rushed over and wrapped his arms around the other's waist, nuzzling his face into his chest. He heard Kris laugh and two warm arms wrapped around him. If there was one thing Baekhyun loved about hugging Kris, it was how big he was in comparison.

      “What did Chungho want?”

      “Just asking me a question about when I purified Tao,” the smaller answered. Kris hummed in response. He opened his mouth to speak again, but a third voice interrupted.

      “Um...Yifan?”

 

      Kris and Baekhyun turned to see Tao standing a few feet away, biting his lip and looking beyond nervous. Baekhyun's brows furrowed, not recognizing the name Tao had called him. Was it some sort of Chinese honorific? It didn't seem like it. Baekhyun felt Kris's arms tighten around him slightly.

      “Yifan?” Baekhyun asked quietly.

      “Ah, yeah...My Chinese name,” Kris answered awkwardly, and Baekhyun nodded slowly. The taller turned to the raven-haired boy. “What's up Tao?”

      “I um...I was wondering if we could talk...”

      “What about?”

      “Just...catch me up on everything that's happened? I still feel a little lost...”

      “Why not just talk with Lay about it?”

      “He's tired and I don't want to bother him,” the nervous boy muttered, looking at the ground. Kris sighed and turned to Baekhyun.

      “Hey, is it alright if I go talk with Tao for a while?”

      “Y-Yeah, I guess...”

      “Thanks. I'll see you later.”

 

      Kris snuggled him close and kissed his head before leaving with Tao. Baekhyun let out a shaky sigh and watched them go. He couldn't help the uncomfortable feeling in his gut. Part of it was jealousy, but another part was anxiety. It felt like Kris was leaving him. He hadn't even bothered to tell Baekhyun his Chinese name. What else hadn't Kris told him? Why was he so damn attached to Tao? Even if they were just friends, wasn't this extreme? Kris jumped off the courtyard for him. Somehow, Baekhyun was having a hard time believing it was just friendship and that Kris was as attached to him as he was to Tao. He was probably overreacting. That was what he wanted to convince himself anyway.

 

~*~

      Luhan and Minseok returned to their shared room after dinner. Luhan sat down on the bed with a sigh. He still felt like he was dragging his ass from the last battle, and now Chungho expected them to prevent a demon from rising. He didn't think he could handle this. He honestly just wanted to curl up in a ball and cry. Again.

 

      Minseok must have noticed as well, because he came over immediately and cupped Luhan's cheeks. The latter gulped, looking straight into his eyes. Minseok looked worried, but his piercing gaze was only unnerving Luhan more.

      “W-What's up?” He mumbled.

      “You ok?” Minseok asked, voice soft. He ran his thumb along Luhan's cheek.

      “I-I'm fine...”

      “Your voice is shaking. I doubt your fine. Besides, I know how you are. You're a worrier that keeps everything to yourself.”

      “I'm not alright,” Luhan admitted quietly. “I'm scared and I don't want to do this.”

      “I know,” Minseok sighed. “I don't want to either.”

      “You're so calm about it though. How?”

      “I'm not calm. I wasn't calm when you almost died either...” He whispered, his hand dropping to Luhan's neck, running his finger along the light scar. “That scared me more than anything we've been through so far.”

      “I'm sorry...”

      “It's ok. There's nothing for you to be sorry about. Just try not to get yourself in a situation like that again. I don't know if my heart could take it.”

      “Not like I want to be in that situation,” Luhan grumbled. Minseok simply smiled. “The same goes for you though. You can't die either...Because I don't know where I'd be without you.”

      “Sounds like a deal to me.”

 

      Luhan placed his hands on top of Minseok's and gave them a gentle squeeze. There was a moment where they just stared into each other's eyes, and Luhan wondered for a brief moment if he was the only one whose heart sped up. Soon, Minseok gave his hands a gentle tug.

      “Let's go take a bath, ok? It'll calm both our nerves. Plus Chungho's bath is epic.”

      “That sounds good to me,” Luhan laughed.

 

      He let himself be pulled off the bed by Minseok and soon, the two were heading down the hall to the changing room. If there was one good thing that came out of this hell and living at the library, it was Chungho's bath. They were just going to have to focus on the small, simple joys in life now.

 

~*~

      Sehun walked around, mostly trying to waste time. He wasn't exactly much of a reader, so he preferred to spend his time with the others, namely Suho. When he couldn't find the boy in their room or in the bath, he decided to head out to the courtyard. Suho was there, watching the sun set into the clouds.

 

      Sehun trotted over and sat down beside him. Suho looked at him in surprise, then smiled warmly before turning back.

      “You wanna watch the sunset too?” He asked.

      “Mm, not particularly...But I wanted to be with you,” Sehun answered. The other hummed.

      “It's really peaceful up here. Kinda hard to believe after all the time we spent running for our lives.”

      “I'll say...”

 

      They didn't say much else after that. The sun crept behind the clouds, painting them in hues of orange and pink. As time went on, Sehun snuggled closer to Suho, wrapping his arms around his waist. The latter raised his brows, glancing over his shoulder.

      “What's up?”

      “Nothing...Just wanted to hold you,” Sehun mumbled.

 

      Normally, he wasn't this brave, but for whatever reason, he was feeling daring. Suho nodded and leaned against Sehun with a sigh.

      “How should I take this?” He asked.

      “Huh?”

      “Is this just platonic? Or is it more?”

      “It could be more if you want it to be,” Sehun mumbled, nuzzling into Suho's neck.

      “I want it to be, but...”

      “You're scared?” Sehun finished for him. Suho nodded. “Joonmyun, I'm going to stay by your side regardless. If you like me, why push me away? I promised I'll stay by you. I intend to do just that. You won't lose me.”

      “Can I trust you to keep that promise?”

      “Of course...I love you, Joonmyun.”

      “I love you too,” Suho whispered.

 

      Sehun squeezed Suho tighter, kissing the skin of his neck softly. The other smiled and placed his hands on top of Sehun's. The younger looked up at him, smiling shyly, and Suho couldn't resist leaning forward and pressing their lips together. It was a short, chaste kiss, but it still had Sehun turning a bright shade of red. Suho really loved that side of him. He was afraid to get used to it, but he wanted to so badly. Maybe, just maybe, he would let himself get attached. Maybe Sehun would be able to keep his promise. He was so tired of being alone all this time. Maybe the time had come to change that.


	26. Chapter 26

      Jongin yawned as he headed to the bath. It was late and Chanyeol had already gone to bed. Jongin wanted to join him, but he also really wanted to wash up first. They would start training the following day according to Chungho, so he wanted to freshen up the night before.

 

      When he got to the changing room, Baekhyun was there as well, in the middle of taking his shirt off. The boy gasped and turned to face him quickl, but not before Jongin got a glimpse of the large, jagged scars on his back. Jongin couldn't even imagine how badly they must have hurt.

      “Jongin...You surprised me...” Baekhyun started.

      “Sorry.”

      “Were you going to take a bath?”

      “Yeah...”

      “Then you can go first,” the other boy offered. “I don't mind waiting.”

      “We can bathe together. I don't mind. You'll be up really late if you wait for me...” Jongin quickly suggested. Baekhyun bit his lip, looking away, his fingers pressing at the edge of his scars on his shoulder. “If you're worried about your scars, they don't bother me.”

      “A-Alright...Thanks...”

 

      Jongin smiled and pulled his shirt off, dropping it in a clothing basket to grab later. Baekhyun sighed and did the same, feeling much more nervous about being exposed. He didn't even like to let Kris see his scars. They were just one more thing that he was really self conscious about.

 

      When they had discarded their clothes, they headed to the bath. Jongin poured in soap while Baekhyun adjusted the water temperature and filled the tub. When it was full, they both slid in with a sigh. Baekhyun sat across from Jongin in the circular tub, his back pressed against the side. He wished his scars didn't hug the top of his shoulder. No matter what he did, Jongin would be able to see them. Even though Jongin had said he was fine with it, Baekhyun wasn't.

 

      Now that Baekhyun thought about it, he hadn't really had a conversation with Jongin in quite some time. They'd briefly interacted back in high school, but it was never more than glances or small talk. Now that they'd survived horror after horror together, Jongin felt like anything but a stranger.

      “Are you ok?” The younger boy asked quietly, looking at Baekhyun with worried eyes.

      “Huh? Yeah, why?”

      “You just...seem really sad.”

      “Oh...” Baekhyun mumbled. Jongin wasn't wrong.

      “Do you wanna talk about it? I mean, you don't have to, but if you need to talk to someone, I'm here...”

      “Thanks, Jongin,” Baekhyun sighed. “It's just Kris...”

      “What about him? Did you two fight?” The younger asked worriedly. Baekhyun couldn't help but smile. Jongin was such a genuine, kind person.

      “We didn't fight, but...I don't feel right. I kinda feel like we're getting more distant...Ever since we got Tao back, I don't think Kris has really looked at me, you know?”

      “Don't you think he's just happy to have his friend back?”

      “That's probably it, but it just feels like more. Like, if Tao and I were both falling off the library courtyard, he'd go for Tao...”

      “Baekhyun...”

      “I know, too soon. But that's how it feels. He leaves me to be with Tao all the time now...And he never even told me that 'Kris' isn't his actual name. I guess I should have guessed it since he's an exchange student from China, but he lived in Canada before so I thought it made sense...”

      “Kris isn't his real name?”

      “It's Yifan apparently,” Baekhyun answered bitterly. “I found out when Tao called him that...He didn't even tell me his real name, Jongin. Doesn't that spell bad news?”

      “I don't know, Baekhyun...Maybe he just never got around to it? Or he preferred Kris...”

      “But _Tao_ gets to call him that,” Baekhyun grumbled. Jongin frowned.

      “Why don't you talk to him about it then?”

      “He ditched me for Tao tonight,” the other boy sighed. “I guess I could try to ask him tomorrow, but I'm scared Jongin. I really love him...What if he was just playing with me or using me as a replacement until now? What if he leaves me?”

      “Why do you have so little faith in him and yourself?”

      “Because I'm just boring, fearful, ugly Baekhyun. Why would Kris want me?”

      “You're kind and caring, and you're definitely not ugly. You love him, Baekhyun. I know he can feel that.”

      “I just don't want to lose him, Jongin...”

      “I know...”

 

      Jongin reached for his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. Baekhyun bit his lips and forced the beginnings of tears back. He was being too much now. He needed to calm down. He hoped Jongin was right and this was just Kris getting reacquainted with Tao, but Baekhyun was too insecure to let it go. Confronting Kris about it was even more horrifying though. Baekhyun was going to be a nervous wreck no matter what he did.

 

      After that discussion, Jongin tried to shift onto lighter topics, which Baekhyun really appreciated. He could probably become really good friends with Jongin now that he thought about it. Jongin was quiet, but he was kind.

 

      They finished their bath as soon as wrinkles started appearing on their fingers, then headed off to bed. Jongin gave Baekhyun a small hug before leaving, telling him that things would be ok. Baekhyun thanked him and waved goodbye, though he wasn't feeling too reassured.

 

      When he got back to his shared room with Kris, the latter wasn't there. Baekhyun let out a disappointed sigh and crawled into the bed, covering his head with the covers. It was really late now. Why hadn't Kris come back? How long did it take to 'catch Tao up?' Was Kris even going to come back to the room that night? Baekhyun didn't want to think about it anymore. He shut his eyes and forced himself to try and sleep. At least tomorrow they would have training to distract him from all of this.

 

~*~

      The following morning, Chungho started their training right after breakfast. He started with the very basics of controlling and channeling magic. If they could perfect that, then they would be able to master their powers and have a longer endurance when using them. He worked them hard, only breaking to feed them lunch. They finally called it a day when dinner was ready.

 

      Following dinner, the boys took baths in groups and headed off to their rooms. Baekhyun had disappeared as soon as dinner was done, and Kris couldn't seem to find him anywhere. He checked the bath and various parts of the library and even the courtyard, but Baekhyun was no where in sight. Finally, Jongin noticed him searching and tugged on his arm gently.

      “What's up?” Kris asked. “Have you seen Baekhyun?”

      “Not since dinner,” Jongin answered. “That's actually what I wanted to talk to you about...”

      “Is something wrong?” Kris gasped, immediately worrying. Jongin sighed.

      “Baekhyun was really upset last night...”

      “Oh God, he was? I came back really late and he was already asleep...”

      “Do you love Tao?”

      “What?” Kris asked, looking at Jongin like he was crazy.

      “Baekhyun seems to think you do. He's scared you're going to leave him.”

      “Of course I won't! Tao's just a friend.”

      “You might want to tell him that...”

      “I will if I ever find him...”

      “He tends to wait until really late at night to bathe,” Jongin explained. “He's pretty self-conscious about his scars, so he doesn't like people to see them. I only found out when we ended up in the bath at the same time last night...But I think, if you can't find him around, he'll probably want to wash up after a hard day of training...”

      “A-Alright, thanks Jongin...”

 

      Kris headed away, much more worried about finding Baekhyun now. He hadn't realized that Baekhyun was so upset about Tao. He really wished Baekhyun wouldn't keep so much cooped up to himself. Kris could only do so much on limited knowledge.

 

      The sun had long since set, so most of the library was dark. Kris was really tired, but he wouldn't rest until he found Baekhyun. He was scanning through rows and rows of books, and was about to give up and stand guard at the bath like Jongin had suggested, but he noticed something odd. Light was creeping up over the bookshelf a few aisles down. Kris walked over to the other side and found Baekhyun sitting in the corner, glowing. This was one time where it was really convenient to have the light guardian as his boyfriend.

 

      The boy had his legs hugged to his chest, cheek resting on his knees. A book was in his hand, which had dropped to his side. He'd fallen asleep reading and glowing. Kris couldn't help but smile at the sight. Baekhyun was really cute.

 

      He walked over quietly and squatted down in front of Baekhyun. He gave the boy's shoulder a gentle shake.

      “Baekhyun?” He called out softly. The other boy grumbled in his sleep, then eventually lifted his head, rubbing his eyes sleepily.

      “Wha..?”

      “You fell asleep here.”

      “Oh...” Baekhyun glanced around and his eyes landed on Kris. The latter watched as they widened in shock. “Kris, why are you here?”

      “I've been looking for you since dinner.”

      “Really? I'm sorry...”

      “It's ok,” Kris soothed. “But I wanted to talk to you...To make sure everything was ok.”

      “Everything's fine,” Baekhyun responded far too quickly. Kris sighed and Baekhyun knew he hadn't convinced him. “Everything's not fine,” he mumbled.

      “Will you tell me what's upsetting you?”

      “I don't know,” Baekhyun muttered, looking away.

      “Can I take a guess then?” Kris asked. When he received a nod, he continued. “You're upset that I went with Tao last night.”

      “That's...”

      “It's ok, Baekhyun. If you're upset, then you can tell me. I won't know unless you tell me these things.”

      “Do you love him?”

      “No, not romantically at least,” Kris said gently. “I've known Tao for a really long time, and I'll admit, at one point I did have a slight crush on him, but Tao's always loved someone else, so I moved on a long time ago.”

      “It feels like you've been only looking at him ever since he got back...And you almost died saving him...”

      “I'm sorry for making you feel insecure,” Kris whispered, pressing his lips to Baekhyun's forehead. “I would have done the same for you, you know that right? I'll always come to you when you need me. I know I'm usually not fast or strong enough to help, but I would never abandon you. I love you so much.”

      “You really love me?”

      “Yes,” Kris answered, cupping Baekhyun's cheeks and brushing their noses together. “You mean so much to me and I couldn't stand losing you.”

      “I feel the same...I love you, Kris.”

 

      Kris pressed their lips together and felt Baekhyun sigh. It was like a massive amount of tension was leaving his body through the kiss, and Kris was thankful for that. He wanted Baekhyun to feel calm and safe in this relationship. As soon as Kris broke their lips apart, Baekhyun lunged forward, wrapping his arms around the other's neck, knocking him onto his rear. Kris laughed and snuggled Baekhyun close, placing kiss after kiss on his cheek and temple. His arms brushed against Baekhyun's scars and the boy jumped slightly.

      “It's ok,” Kris whispered.

 

      He ran his hand up and down Baekhyun's back soothingly until the boy relaxed in his arms again. When the other boy had finally calmed down, Kris kissed him on the top of the head.

      “You haven't bathed, right? Let's go wash up.”

      “A-Alright...”

 

      Baekhyun let himself be pulled to his feet by Kris, then the two headed to where the bath was located. When they got to the changing room, Baekhyun stood there, waiting for Kris to undress before making a move himself. The other just smiled at him.

      “You're gonna bathe in your clothes?”

      “No...It's just...”

      “Baekhyun, I know you're self conscious, but you shouldn't be, ok? I like you just the way you are.”

      “But I'm not tall or muscular...and I have scars...”

      “Muscles are overrated,” Kris sighed. “And your scars don't bother me. They're part of you, so I love them.”

 

      Kris's cheeks turned a bright shade of red as he realized how cheesy he'd just sounded, and he cleared his throat awkwardly. Baekhyun giggled and a warm smile spread on his face. He was enjoying hearing Kris say these kinds of things.

 

      They undressed looking away from each other and Kris got in the bath first. When he was looking away, Baekhyun quickly slid in, thankful to have the suds covering him. Seconds later, Kris scooted over beside him, wrapping his arm around his shoulder. His fingers and arm brushed against Baekhyun's now bare scars, and the boy tried his hardest not to pull away.

      “Relax,” Kris soothed. “It's ok. It's just me.”

      “It's because it's you,” Baekhyun sighed, leaning against Kris's chest. “I just want to look good in your eyes...”

      “You do. Believe me, I find you really attractive.”

      “You're being so open about this tonight,” Baekhyun mumbled, blushing slightly.

      “I'll reassure you whenever you need it,” Kris stated. “So please don't think I don't love you. We've gone through hell together and I don't know what I'd do if I lost you in the future.”

      “I don't want to lose you either.”

      “You won't. We'll get through this, alright?”

 

      Kris pressed Baekhyun closer and kissed the top of his head. The latter closed his eyes as he listened to the sound of Kris's heart. Between that, the warm water, and pure exhaustion, he was starting to fall asleep again. Kris seemed to have no qualms about being his pillow at least. Just as Baekhyun was nodding off though, he remembered something else that had bothered him.

      “Why didn't you tell me your real name?” He asked.

      “Huh?”

      “Yifan...It's a nice name, I like it...”

      “Oh...I don't know. I've gotten used to people calling me Kris, and with all the battles and running, it wasn't really on my mind to tell you. I swear I didn't mean to hide it from you.”

      “It's alright...I just wondered if only certain people could call you that.”

      “I'm fine with either Kris or Yifan.”

      “Would you mind if I called you that?” Baekhyun asked, glancing up at Kris.

      “Of course not. I'd love that.”

 

      Kris leaned down and connected their lips once more, and this time Baekhyun leaned upwards to meet him. When they broke apart, Baekhyun had a wide smile on his face, the type that melted Kris's heart.

      “I love you, Yifan.”

      “I love you too, Baekhyun.”

 

      Kris snuggled him closer and Baekhyun wrapped his arms around him. When he was getting way too sleepy to risk staying in the bathtub much longer, he and Kris washed up and got out. When they were all dressed, they headed back to their room and curled up in bed together. As Baekhyun was snuggled in between two warms arms and a chest, he had no trouble getting to sleep that night.


	27. Chapter 27

      The following morning, Baekhyun and Kris woke up early for breakfast. They had another day of training waiting for them, and Chungho was strict despite being such a gentle old man. As they were leaving their room, they ran into Tao. The boy stared at both of them with wide eyes and nodded briefly before rushing off. Baekhyun heard Kris sigh, then the latter cuddled him closer.

      “It's alright,” Kris mumbled. “He's just really nervous around you.”

      “Why me?” Baekhyun asked. “Because I'm your boyfriend?”

      “That and he's hurt you so many times he's convinced you hate him. That was half of what we talked about that night, actually.”

      “I don't hate him...I just didn't know how to act around him...”

      “I'm glad,” Kris sighed. “It's going to take a while for him to believe that though. He's really beating himself up for everything he did.”

      “It wasn't his fault though,” Baekhyun said sadly.

      “If you could tell him that, I think it would help...If you could just be gentle with him, I'd really appreciate it. He's one of my closest friends, I don't want him to keep beating himself up like this.”

      “Of course,” Baekhyun agreed gently.

 

      Kris kissed the top of his head and mumbled a soft thanks. Baekhyun smiled and leaned against the taller, letting himself be lead along to breakfast. When the group had eaten, another hard day of training began. They were making great leaps in using their powers, but Chungho still feared it wouldn't be enough. Only time would tell.

 

~*~

      When the day was nearing its close, the group ate dinner and began another round of baths. Tao wasn't feeling up to social interactions of any kind, so he opted to stay in Lay's, and now his, room by himself. It was one of the few times Lay had actually left him alone. The latter seemed intent on staying with Tao to make sure he was alright most days. When Lay wasn't with him, Kris usually was. Tao didn't know which was more uncomfortable.

 

      He'd hurt so many people, even Kris and Lay. Tao had _really_ hurt Baekhyun, who was apparently Kris's boyfriend now. There was no way they were alright with him being there. They were merely being civil because he was a guardian and they needed him around. Tao was certain of that.

 

      He sighed and hugged his legs to his chest, resting his head on his knees. Every time he closed his eyes, all he could see was running blood and darkness. It made sense of course, after being possessed for so long. Any amount of darkness sent chills down his spine and he was consumed by fear. Truthfully, he hadn't slept well since he'd been at the library, but he didn't want to burden anyone with his problems. He'd caused everyone enough pain already.

 

      Flashbacks of Lay and Kris repeatedly begging him to stop rushed through his head. If he'd been stronger, he never would have Kris or Baekhyun. Or Lay. He never would have caused them to suffer so much. This was all his fault.

 

      He smacked his head repeatedly with his fists, trying to get rid of the dark thoughts. As his ears rang and his head throbbed and began to feel numb, he vaguely heard someone's voice. Second's later, another person was at his side, forcing his hands away from his head. As his skin throbbed and the ringing died down, the words became intelligible.

      “Zitao, what are you doing!?” Lay screamed. Tao made no response but tears rolled down his cheeks. Lay instantly pulled him close, cradling his head. “Why on earth were you doing that to yourself?”

 

      Tao's sobs became louder as he felt Lay rock him from side to side. His head seemed to hurt less suddenly and he vaguely saw green light out of the corner of his eye. Lay was healing him. He'd bothered the boy again.

      “I'm so sorry,” Tao cried, voice muffled from being pressed against Lay's chest.

      “Shh. I'm taking care of you now.”

      “I'm so sorry I'm such a burden,” Tao mumbled. He felt the other snuggle him closer.

      “You will never be a burden,” Lay whispered, kissing the top of his head. “Ever.”

      “But I put you through so much. I hurt you...I hurt Kris and his boyfriend. I almost killed some of the others. I'm a monster.”

      “Don't say that,” Lay snapped. “None of that was you and we all realize that. You aren't a monster and you never will be.”

      “How can you forgive me so easily?” Tao sobbed.

      “Because there's nothing to forgive! You didn't do anything wrong! I'm just sorry we couldn't save you sooner. Maybe you wouldn't be hurting this much if we had...”

      “I can't look any of them in the eyes. All I see is how much I hurt them...I can't even look you in the eyes.”

 

      Lay let go and Tao thought he'd made the other boy angry. Instead, Lay cupped his cheeks and lifted his head, forcing Tao to look at him. His eyes were gentle, but sad as he wiped tears away from Tao's eyes with his thumbs and sighed.

      “You're looking at me now, what do you see?”

      “You...?”

      “And am I mad? Do I hate you?”

      “No,” Tao replied, voice cracking.

      “Trust me, Zitao. This is how I feel about you. There's not a fiber in my being that could ever hate you, so please stop blaming and hating yourself.”

      “What about the others?”

      “They're the same. We're all really confused and scared right now, Zitao, but no one blames you for what happened. Kris still loves you. And Baekhyun is one of the kindest people I know, so I doubt he's angry at you. Besides, he's the one that saved you. The same goes for Suho, if you're worried about him too. I don't think he could hate you even if he tried.”

      “I'm still so scared...”

      “Just take it a step at a time, ok? But don't do this again,” Lay whispered, running his fingers along the previously bruised areas of his head. “It hurts me the most to see the person I love suffering and in pain.”

      “You still love me?” Tao asked. Lay smiled softly.

      “Of course. I never stopped, Zitao. Even when we were separated before all this hell started. I've always loved you.”

      “I love you too, Yixing,” Tao whimpered, shoving his face back into Lay's chest. “Please don't leave me. I'm so sorry for hurting you.”

      “I won't ever leave you again,” Lay sighed. “Now that I got you back, I'm staying right here, by your side.”

 

      Tao wrapped his arms around Lay and hugged him tightly. He'd missed this feeling so much. He'd been far too afraid to hug Lay until now. He was still nervous and worried, but he was at least starting to believe that he wasn't in this alone. Lay had always been such a necessary presence in his life, and he never should have doubted the boy's feelings. How could he have gone so long without him?

      “Let's go to bed,” Lay suggested gently. “We have another long day tomorrow and we both need some sleep.”

      “Yeah...”

 

      Tao let Lay pull him to his feet and direct him to the bed. They laid down together, Tao's nose pressed in the crook of Lay's neck. The latter had his arms wrapped around him, running his hand up and down his back soothingly.

      “If you have trouble sleeping, wake me up,” Lay said softly.

      “Hm?”

      “I know you haven't been sleeping well. Don't do this alone. If you need someone to talk to you or hold you, I'm right here.”

      “Alright...Thank you, Yixing...”

      “You're welcome.”

      “Goodnight...I love you...”

      “I love you too. Goodnight.”

 

      Tao received another soft kiss on his head. Lay had always been affectionate like this, even back in China, when they were more or less unofficially dating. Tao didn't even know if they were officially dating now, especially with everything that was going on, but he knew one thing for certain. He loved Lay more than anyone in this world, and he would never hurt him again.

 

~*~

      Luhan had fallen asleep shortly after bathing, completely exhausted from training. His head ached and eyes burned, but they would have another full day again tomorrow. He was starting to wonder if doing all this would even make them stronger, especially if it left them so tired.

 

      Luhan vaguely felt another body cuddle up behind him in bed and his mind slowly registered that Minseok was going to sleep as well. As of late, the other boy had been pretty clingy to Luhan, especially after what had happened with Tao in the courtyard. Luhan really loved the attention, as awful as he felt about that, but he still wasn't quite used to it.

      “You ok?” He mumbled sleepily.

      “Did I wake you up?” Minseok asked, mid-yawn. Luhan shook his head.

      “I wasn't asleep yet.”

      “You feeling ok?”

      “Yeah, tired...Have a headache...You?”

      “About the same. Let's get some sleep, alright?”

      “Yeah...”

 

      Luhan sighed and closed his eyes. He felt something warm wrap around his waist and another body pressed against his back, spooning him. Luhan flushed slightly, since this was way more intimate than he was used to, even with Minseok. Was something wrong with the other boy after all?

      “Minseok...Are you really ok?”

      “Yeah, why?” The boy answered sleepily.

      “I dunno...You're just...closer than normal. I was wondering if you were upset...”

      “I'm not upset. I just want to hold you like this...Is that ok?”

      “Yeah, of course...”

 

      Luhan wasn't going to complain. It had been so long since anyone held him, and truthfully, no one had held him quite like this before. It was actually giving him mixed signals. He was so exhausted, he wasn't sure asking about it now would really do him any good, but he also knew that if he didn't ask about it, his mind would get ideas and take things too far and he would be hurt in the end.

      “Hey Minseok? How should I interpret this...?”

      “What do you mean?” The other mumbled, breath tickling the back of Luhan's neck.

      “Laying here like this...Is this just friends...Or is it romantic?” He hesitated slightly on the last word. Minseok sighed, nuzzling closer to his neck.

      “If I said it was romantic, would you be bothered?”

      “No...I'd be really happy...”

      “It's romantic,” Minseok mumbled nervously, hugging him tighter. “I like you, Luhan.”

      “Why?”

      “I don't know...Do I need a reason? I just always have.”

      “Always? I was so mean to you when all of this first started...How could you like me then?”

      “You were scared and so was I. Besides that was ages ago.”

      “You really like me?”

      “Yes, Luhan. And I'll tell you that as many times as I need to until you'll believe me.”

      “I love you,” Luhan mumbled, rolling over so he was facing Minseok. “I love you so much...”

 

      Minseok smiled and hugged him close, kissing his nose softly and smiling. Luhan timidly wrapped his arms around him and pressed his face into Minseok's chest.

      “Thank you for being with me through all of this,” Luhan whispered.

      “I'm happy to be here.”

 

      Luhan sighed, his eyelids so heavy he could barely keep them open. Being snuggled against another warm body wasn't helping his case. He was so relaxed, he fell asleep in a matter of minutes. It was one of the most restful slumbers he'd had since all of this had happened. With Minseok's arms around him like this, he felt so secure. For once, he felt like he could really face the next day.

 

~*~

      The following morning, Chungho put the guardians to work practicing as usual, then went back inside the library. Taemin and Onew had mostly been contributing by cooking the meals since everyone was always tired by the time lunch and dinner came around. This day, Chungho had different plans for them though.

 

      He found them browsing the library, trying to find anything to pass the time. Chungho couldn't help but feel for them when he saw how fidgety they were. They were both so nervous, but there was little they could do to help. At least, that used to be the case.

      “Taemin, Onew!” The old man called giddily. The two turned to look at him.

      “What is it?” Onew asked.

      “I need your help with something.”

      “Anything you need, we'll do our best!” Taemin exclaimed. Chungho chuckled. They were desperate to help out in some way.

      “Well, you see, we've been training to stop Daejung from awakening the demon, but there's one detail we've overlooked.”

      “What's that?” Onew questioned, eyes widening slightly.

      “The ceremony must take place at a specific location, and I'm afraid I have no idea where that is.”

      “You're joking...right?” Taemin asked incredulously.

      “I wish I was,” the old man sighed. “The ritual will obviously take place where she was sealed away, but the land has changed greatly since then, and I don't know where her location is anymore.”

      “So what are we supposed to do?” Taemin gasped. “I don't think Google Maps will just give us the location of an ancient demon seal!”

      “Google Maps?” The old man repeated, extremely confused.

      “Nevermind,” the exasperated boy sighed.

      “Do you have an idea of how we can find the location, Chungho?” Onew asked, much calmer than Taemin.

      “Yes. There are several records and maps that I can dig up. They're ancient, but if you can compare them to current maps, you should be able to find the location again.”

      “That's really all we have to go off of?” Taemin murmured. Chungho nodded.

      “Yes, I'm sorry.”

      “No, it's alright. Everyone's working hard now, so we'll do our best to help out,” Onew comforted.

      “Thank you. I'll help you when I can, but I still need to watch over the guardians.”

      “No worries. I think Onew and I can handle some maps on our own.”

 

      Chungho nodded and brought them over to the section of the library containing all the maps and ancient records. Once they'd set to work sifting through the worn, discolored paper, Chungho finally got back to the guardians to continue critiquing them. They were all working on extremely limited time, and they were going to have to make the absolute most of it.


	28. Chapter 28

      Over the next few days, Onew and Taemin continued to search. Chungho had made them a key of important word translations since the documents were all written in an ancient, dead language. Still, progress was slow and it was hard to line up the ancient maps to the present ones. While they worked tirelessly into the nights, the guardians continued to train during the day. They had made substantial progress and Chungho was starting to believe that they might stand a chance united against Daejung. Fighting the demon would be a completely different story, however. They didn't have room for failure.

 

      Even with the situation as grave as it was, Chungho never overworked them. He made sure to treat them with love and respect as well, since they'd been lacking in both since everything had gone to hell. When they weren't training, it really felt like they were staying with a loving, albeit very strange and outdated grandparent. It was the closest thing they'd felt to a welcoming home since the whole thing had begun.

 

      The group had become somewhat closer as a whole since staying in the library. Tao still kept mostly to himself, Lay, and Kris, but the others were starting to lighten up around him. Sehun had been wary of him at first, but when even Suho seemed to have forgiven him, Sehun became a little more relaxed.

 

      Kyungsoo and Jongdae tended to keep to themselves for the most part. They were still plenty social with the group during meals and training, but once the day was almost over, they almost always returned to their room to rest and be with each other. Kyungsoo had quickly adapted to everything that was happening, but it was easy to see that he was still pretty out of the whole loop and needed as much time with Jongdae as possible.

 

      Jongdae always made sure to give him the time and attention he needed as well. There were some nights where Kyungsoo wanted to do his own thing and simply read books in Jongdae's presence. Other nights, he was attached to Jongdae, needing constant companionship and physical reassurance. This night was one of the latter.

 

      Jongdae was exhausted from a long day of training, so he was laying in bed, dozing off. Kyungsoo had been reading for a while, but quickly lost interest in the book and opted to join Jongdae on the bed. He rested his head on Jongdae's chest, tracing light patterns on his shirt with his fingers. The other in turn wrapped his arm around him, sleepily running his hand up and down his side. Right as Jongdae was beginning to fall asleep, Kyungsoo spoke up.

      “Hey Dae?”

      “Hm?” The other hummed tiredly.

      “What are we going to do after all of this?”

      “What do you mean?”

      “Well, suppose we get through this. We stop the bad guy and save the day like some action movie...What happens next? Korea's still in shambles, we'll still have our freaky powers...What are we supposed to do?”

      “I don't know,” Jongdae said softly, shifting on his side so he could wrap both his arms around Kyungsoo.

      “I don't want to live in a world like this...”

      “I know. I don't either, but there's nothing we can do...”

      “I hate this,” Kyungsoo whimpered, pressing his face into Jongdae's chest. “I just want to go back to cram school and afternoon dates.”

      “Shh. Don't stress yourself out over this, ok? We need to take it a day at a time. There's always this library to stay at. Maybe Chungho can teach us things. It could be an ancient history cram school. And you have everyone here to support you. And you have me. We just need to find positive ways to look at the situation...”

      “I can't do that like you,” Kyungsoo mumbled. “I try but it always just seems so hopeless...”

      “Well, I guess that's why I'm here,” Jongdae laughed gently. He placed a kiss on Kyungsoo's head. “I'll be the one who tells you what you need to hear. I'll always be here for you.”

      “I love you,” Kyungsoo whispered. “I'm so glad you're here with me.”

      “I love you too,” Jongdae sighed contentedly, snuggling closer to Kyungsoo. “Let's sleep for now, ok? We can't afford to lose sleep during training.”

      “Yeah...My head hurts. Who would have thought throwing rocks would be so exhausting?” Jongdae laughed.

      “Sleep well. Tomorrow will be a new and exciting day of throwing more rocks.”

 

      Kyungsoo groaned and nestled closer to Jongdae. In the end, his boyfriend wasn't able to make him feel any less anxious about what was to come, but at least he was a warm body to sleep with and a source of love to cling to. Kyungsoo would be an idiot to ignore that. Tomorrow would be another exhausting day, but for now, he could sleep peacefully.

 

~*~

      Daejung ran his fingers along a large cold stone, fingertips tracing along the intricate etchings of a sun shaped rune. The rune had once meant everything to him. It was his pride and joy. Now, it was just a bitter reminder and source of resentment. He let his hand drop and he turned around, eyeing the rest of the stones surrounding a small altar. He'd already began preparations for the ritual. It was only a matter of days now.

      “Soon, my love. Soon...” He muttered.

      “It looks like you've already set everything up nicely,” another rough, sickeningly amused voice spoke. Daejung turned to find another robed figure standing by one of the stones.

      “Myungki,” he growled. “How nice of you to finally show up.”

      “Now, now. You know I'm a busy man.”

      “You've been completely useless! It's taken me 12 years to find and gather all of the guardians' blood on my own.”

      “Come now...Why bring up the past? At least I found your little water guardian for you all those years ago.”

      “And you let him escape! What good did that do me?” Daejung hissed. “He was only a boy. How could you lose him?”

      “He took the fire guardian and hid from society. He erased all traces of himself, you really can't blame me. At least I killed the rest of his family.”

      “It was just meaningless bloodshed. We needed the guardians' blood and nothing else. If anything, you made it harder for him to come out of hiding.”

      “You're absolutely no fun. You need to take more joy in the chase.”

      “Unlike you, I have priorities,” Daejung grumbled.

      “She'll be back soon then?”

      “Yes. Although I'm sure the guardians will try to stop me. If you'd like to make yourself useful for once.”

      “Would I get to see my little water guardian again?” Myungki asked darkly, running his fingers along the raindrop rune.

      “You would.”

      “And I would get to kill him?”

      “I'm expecting you to. Don't let him get away again. You can play with him all you want, but make sure he dies. Kill all the guardians.”

      “This will be fun,” Myungki chuckled. “It's been so long since I've seen him. I look forward to seeing his face as I rip his friends limb from limb like I did his poor mother...”

      “Just get the job done.”

      “Understood.”

 

      With that, Myungki disappeared, leaving Daejung alone. It was only a matter of time now, and with Myungki on his side, the odds seemed stacked more in his favor. The guardians were in for a rude awakening.

 

~*~

      Sehun woke up to the sounds of whimpering and crying. It took him a moment for sleepiness to leave his head before he realized it was Suho making those noises. He sat up rapidly and leaned over the other boy, who was frantically tossing and turning. He tried to call out to him, but it was no use. Suho wasn't waking up. Sehun instead wrapped his arm around Suho, with quite a lot of difficulty given the other was squirming, and pressed him close, forcing him to stop moving and be nestled against his chest.

 

      It took some time for Suho to calm down again and sleep somewhat peacefully. Sehun was wide awake by then, so he opted to run his fingers through Suho's hair and down his back, trying to sooth him in any way he could. The other boy eventually woke up a little bit later.

      “Good morning,” Sehun whispered gently, placing a kiss on Suho's head.

      “Morning...” The other mumbled sleeping.

 

      Suho wrapped his arms around Sehun and snuggled closer, letting out a shaky sigh. Sehun ran his hand up and down his back, wishing he could do something to make Suho suffer less.

      “It's happening more often,” Suho mumbled.

      “The nightmares?” Sehun asked, though he was fairly certain that's what the other meant.

      “It's like he feels closer all of a sudden...I know he's not here, but somehow, I can sense his presence...”

      “Are you sure you aren't just imagining things after too many nights of bad sleep?”

      “Maybe...But it really feels like that day...It's like there's this constant, suffocating aura...And the smell of blood in the air...” Sehun pressed him closer.

      “He's not here. You're safe, Joonmyun. It'll be ok.”

 

      Suho nodded slowly, allowing himself to be wrapped in two giant, warm arms. It was kind of nice having a boyfriend who was bigger hold him. Then again, it was nice having someone hold him in the first place. He was still afraid to be this close to someone, especially with the unsettling sense that _he_ was close, but Suho honestly didn't think he'd be able to function without Sehun either. He'd gotten far too attached and dependent.

 

      Sehun sat up with a sigh and rubbed at his eyes. He got out of bed and stretched, letting out a long yawn. They would have to go eat breakfast soon enough, so he figured it was time to start moving. He turned around to find Suho sitting up in bed, looking utterly exhausted with rather messy bed hair. Sehun smiled and walked over, hugging Suho's head to his chest.

      “Do you want to try and sleep more?” He asked gently. The other boy shook his head against Sehun's chest.

      “I don't think I'll be able to.”

      “Alright. Just take it easy today.”

      “I'll try...”

 

      Sehun brushed his fingers through Suho's hair, trying his best to sort out at least some of the tangles. When he'd finished, he helped Suho to his feet and held his hand as they headed to the dining room for breakfast.

 

      Much to Sehun's relief, Chungho explained over breakfast that he would no longer be training them. They needed to conserve their strength for the ritual and he needed to help Onew and Taemin sort through the logs because they were getting nowhere. The guardians all offered their assistance, and Chungho accepted on the condition that they wouldn't wear themselves out further. That being the case, Suho and Sehun were some of the first to head back to bed in the early evening. Suho really hadn't gotten much sleep at all and Sehun wasn't about to leave him alone with all the nightmares that were constantly plaguing him.

 

      The rest of them worked well into the night until Chungho forced them all to go to bed. Onew and Taemin refused to stop, so Chungho decided to push himself as well and stay with them. He was an old man though, so even he had dozed off sitting in a chair with a log in his lap, leaving Taemin and Onew to work silently.

 

      Towards the early hours of the morning, Taemin slumped into a chair, groaning and pulling his hair in frustration. Onew dared to place a hand on his shoulder and give it a gentle squeeze.

      “You ok..?”

      “No, I'm not!” Taemin snapped, looking apologetically at Onew after the latter jumped. “We have less than 2 days left to find this ritual site and there's NOTHING in the logs or maps to indicate where it might have been. This is hopeless!”

      “Taemin...We can't give up on this. You're exhausted, so take a break. We'll keep searching in the morning, ok?”

 

      The younger sighed and rested his head on the desk in front of him. His eyes were bloodshot and puffy, and Onew was sure his own resembled them. They'd been working so hard, yet they'd found nothing. He didn't want to give up hope, but he starting to believe that there really was no information in the library about where the ritual site was.

 

      Onew sighed and grabbed some of the logs they'd finished sifting through to return them to their shelves. As he was walking, he tripped on one of the uneven bricks in the floor and fell tumbling to the ground. Taemin shot up from the desk and rushed over to make sure he was ok.

      “Jinki! Oh my God, are you alright!?”

      His boyfriend groaned in response and slowly lifted himself off the ground. They heard the sound of stone sliding against stone and glanced around. Onew had hit one of the bricks in the wall during his fall and it had shifted in, revealing a secret door. The two boys got to their feet and cautiously walked through the doorway to find a small study, littered with several notes and missing logs from the collection Chungho had given them. Taemin picked one up and began skimming through it for the words Chungho had taught them. His eyes widened when he realized this log was about sealing the goddess away.

      “Jinki! This is it! This is one of the logs that talks about the ritual location!”

      “They were hidden back here!?” Onew asked, picking some more up and skimming through them. “Why didn't Chungho tell us about this place...?”

      “I don't know, but let's have him read these!”

      “Shouldn't we let him rest?”

      “There's no time!” Taemin pressed. “We finally found something, Jinki. He'd want to be the first one to know!”

 

      Onew and Taemin gathered all the logs from the desk and the shelves in the small study and rushed them out to the desk where Chungho was sleeping at. They set them down in front of him and shook the man's shoulder until he finally stirred.

      “Chungho! Look! We found the records!” Taemin shouted. The old man sleepily looked at the logs then his eyes widened when the words sunk in.

      “You found information on the ritual site!?” He gasped.

      “Yeah, it was in some secret study,” Onew answered, pointing to the entrance. “We found it by accident. Chungho why didn't you tell us about it?”

      “I didn't know...” The old man mumbled, glancing at the study. “That must have been Daejung's secret study. We all knew he had one, but never knew where it was. He must have hidden everything relevant to the ritual there to prevent the future guardians from learning about it.”

      “So what about these logs, Chungho? Can you read them?”  
      “Let me see...”

 

      Taemin and Onew waited impatiently as the man skimmed through them. It came as a surprise to all three of them when a fourth voice spoke up.

      “What's going on...?” The group looked up to find Jongin in the doorway, eyes heavy with sleep.

      “What are you doing still up?” Taemin gasped.

      “I had to pee and I heard a noise...” Jongin answered shyly. Taemin smiled softly.

      “We found a secret passageway, or I should say Jinki did...There were more logs inside. We're looking at them now!”

      “Really?” Jongin asked, walking over quickly to peer over Chungho's shoulder with the other two.

      “You should sleep, little one,” Chungho chided. “This might take a while.”

      “I'm the one teleporting us there, so shouldn't I be here to help figure out where it is?”

      “Very well,” the old man sighed.

 

      They stood there while Chungho flipped through the pages. Finally, the old man set the logs down with a sigh. Taemin bit his lip nervously.

      “What is it? Was there no information on the ritual site?” He asked.

      “No, there was. It's a mile north of where the Tree of Life used to stand.”

      “Do we have to figure out where that is now!?” Onew practically cried.

      “It should be easier,” Chungho explained. “The original 12 guardians constructed an underground sanctum where the roots of the tree once were. There's still a heavy aura surrounding the place, so with a little magic, we should be able to locate it.”

      “Chungho...It's an underground sanctum?” Jongin asked, deep in thought.

      “Yes, do you know something about it?”

      “I think we've been there...Back when Daejung had kidnapped me, right before we came here, we were in his underground hideout. There was this room with a lot of huge stones with runes on them. Each one seemed to resonate with the guardians...”

      “Show me on the map where that was located!” Chungho exclaimed.

 

      Jongin grabbed one of the modern maps of the area and pointed to the spot. He'd been there twice now between the two times he was kidnapped, so he was pretty certain he knew where it was. Chungho nodded and closed his eyes, glowing slightly. Taemin, Onew, and Jongin looked at him nervously, but soon the man stopped. He smiled up at them.

      “You're right, Jongin. I just checked and I could feel a strong aura there. That's where the Tree of Life was.”

      “So that means the ritual will take place a mile north of there, so about here...” Jongin mumbled, pointing to a spot on the map. Chungho quickly marked it with a pen.

      “We did it,” Onew whispered in disbelief.

      “You did,” Chungho said proudly. “You two were amazing.”

 

      Taemin and Onew laughed and held each other, a mixture of sleep deprivation and excitement overcoming them. Chungho and Jongin smiled gently at the sight. When the old man sighed deeply, the group looked at him in fear once more.

      “There's something else you haven't told us yet, isn't there?” Onew grumbled.

      “The logs also gave the time when she was sealed away, which is of course the same time when the ritual must occur.”

      “And when was that?” Jongin asked.

      “At the very beginning of the day, so at midnight.”

      “So that means...” Taemin began.

      “It means that we have all day tomorrow, then right at midnight, the ritual will begin.”

 

      Jongin gulped and glanced nervously at Taemin, who returned his worried gaze. They had less than 24 hours before they would be off to battle again. This wouldn't be like the rest of their battles either. If they failed to stop Daejung, there's no telling what would happen to them or this world. Everything was starting to feel like it was weighing down on Jongin's shoulders and he almost wanted to throw up.

      “Try and rest,” Chungho soothed, getting up and grabbing Jongin's hand. He gave it a gentle squeeze. “It's not time to fight yet, so rest while you can.”

 

      Jongin bit his lip and nodded. After that, Chungho shooed them all out of the library to get some sleep. Taemin and Onew walked with Jongin back to the hallway connecting to all their bedrooms, then bid him goodnight with hugs and words of encouragement. Jongin had never rushed back to his own room so fast. He couldn't stand the idea of being alone right now.

 

      He flung himself into bed as soon as he was in his room and pressed against Chanyeol. The boy was still as warm as always. Chanyeol must have noticed Jongin's distress even in his mostly asleep state, because he wrapped his arm around him immediately.

      “Hey...It's ok,” he mumbled sleepily. “I'm here, you're ok,” his deep, sleepy voice soothed.

 

      Jongin closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around Chanyeol. Everything wasn't ok, and he could feel bile rising and nerves churning in his stomach. As Chanyeol snuggled him closer and whispered comforting words, dozing off in the middle of some of them, Jongin let himself be lulled. He was too nervous to sleep that night, but if nothing else, Chanyeol kept him grounded. He wasn't ready to save the world, but he had no choice in the matter. He was absolutely terrified.


	29. Chapter 29

      The following day, Chungho explained the situation to the rest of the group. Needless to say, they took the news of the upcoming battle about as well as Jongin had. Chungho still made sure they all ate and rested though. They were going to need as much strength as they could get in order to fight.

 

      The hours felt like they were dragging and flying by at the same time. They wanted the whole ordeal to be over, but at the same time, they absolutely dreaded what was to come. Chungho had told them to stay in the library through dinner, then a little while after they would teleport directly to the site and try to disrupt the ritual and take Daejung down.

 

      Finally, after their dinner had had some time to set in their stomachs, Chungho gathered them one last time. He looked from face to face with a mixture of pride and fear.

      “Daejung will have begun preparing for the ceremony by now,” he started. “No matter what, you have to stop him. If you fail, I can't even begin to tell you what will become of this world. I know you boys can do this. Have faith in each other and in yourselves. I believe in you.”

 

      They nodded and each bid farewell to the old man as well as to Onew and Taemin, who were both staying behind. When they'd finished, Chungho turned to Jongin and sighed.

      “It's time to go, little teleporter. Go straight there and be careful, alright?”

 

      Jongin nodded solemnly and held his hands out. The group gradually grabbed each other's hands until they were all connected in a circle. Jongin let out one last shaky breath before teleporting away. Chungho gripped at his staff, looking down from the courtyard in the direction they'd headed.

      “Please succeed, my little ones...”

 

~*~

      When the group landed, the sky above them was dark and it looked like a storm was brewing. Taking a closer look around, there was no ritual site, however. They looked at Jongin nervously.

      “Where are we? Where's the ritual?” Suho asked. Jongin pointed to a tall hill.

      “It's just over the hill. I didn't think it was safe to teleport right onto the site,” he explained.

      “Good call,” Suho mumbled.

      “Let's try and get a closer look,” Chanyeol suggested.

 

      He pulled Jongin close to his side and the group slowly crept up the hill, being as quiet as they possibly could. When they peered down, they gasped and jaws dropped. There was a massive cloud of darkness, swirling around violently. Towards the center, the darkness was thickest, but they could still make out the silhouettes of 12 large stones and a small altar. Near the altar were 2 figures. One of them had to be Daejung.

      “He's not alone...” Kris groaned.

      “What should we do?” Baekhyun asked, looking at the others nervously.

      “Should we just teleport to the altar, guns blazing?” Sehun asked. Suho grimaced at the thought.

      “I'd prefer to go in carefully, but there's no telling what's hiding in the darkness, so you might be right,” he sighed.

      “Try to get us to the altar,” Lay stated, reaching for Jongin's hand.

 

      They held hands once more and Jongin closed his eyes, envisioning the altar. The weightless sensation overcame him once more and seconds later, they were surrounded by darkness. They hadn't made it to the altar though. Something had stopped Jongin in his tracks.

      “What happened? This isn't the altar,” Jongdae questioned looking around nervously.

      “Something kept me from going further,” Jongin mumbled. “This is as far as I can go.”

      “What do we do now?” Kyungsoo asked, clinging to the hem of Jongdae's shirt slightly.

      “I don't know,” Suho sighed, looking around. “But we aren't alone.”

 

      Growls echoed throughout the darkness, but they couldn't see where any of the beasts were. From the sounds, they were definitely close. The group huddled close together, the fighters raising their hands in case they needed to strike quickly.

      “Baekhyun, can you light the place up?” Suho asked. “It's too dark.”

      “A-Alright...” The boy answered nervously.

 

      He glowed brightly, revealing hordes of wolves, surrounding them. There was no way out, and the beasts were baring their teeth. Almost immediately, the beasts attacked, and the battle began.

 

~*~

      Daejung set out the vials upon the altar in a neat line. He picked up one and held it high, tilting it slightly so the thick liquid moved around inside. He closed his eyes, reading the aura surrounding the blood.

      “The wind guardian's...” He muttered to himself.

 

      He walked over to the large stone with the whirlwind rune carved into it and poured the blood over the engraving. As the blood dripped down over the rune, it lit up. At the base of the rock, a purple stream of light flowed out towards the altar. A maniacal smirk grew on Daejung's face.

      “11 more to go. You'll be out soon, my love.”

      “Daejung,” Myungki interrupted. “The guardians are here.” Daejung laughed darkly.

      “I told you they would come. It will take them a while to break through the force field though. We have plenty of time.”

      “But they will get through eventually. Shouldn't I be there to make sure they don't get any further than that?”

      “Very well. Make sure and kill them this time, Myungki.”

      “Of course! I can't wait to see my little water guardian again,” the man chuckled darkly.

 

      Daejung watched as he headed away from the altar. When the other man was out of sight, Daejung grabbed the next vial, reading its aura and heading over to the appropriate stone. The ritual would be completed soon enough.

 

~*~

      There seemed to be no end to the beasts. As soon as the group brought one down, another took its place. They were never going to get to the altar at this rate. To make matters worse, they were slowly being divided. They still remained somewhat close to Baekhyun since he was providing most of the light, but they'd spread out considerably.

 

      Minseok backed away after shooting an icicle at a monster, and his back connected with an invisible force, shocking him slightly. He cried out in surprise and slight pain and glanced around behind him. There was nothing there.

      “Are you ok!?” Luhan exclaimed, rushing over to him to check for injuries.

      “Yeah, I'm fine but...There's some sort of weird force field here...I couldn't go any further...”

      “That must have stopped me from teleporting,” Jongin muttered in thought.

      “Do you think we can break through it?” Luhan asked.

      “Maybe if we use our powers,” Minseok offered.

      “That's gonna be hard with all these monsters constantly attacking us,” Sehun grumbled.

      “Luhan, do you think you can hold them off?” Minseok asked, looking at his boyfriend.  
      “I-I can try...”

      “You just need to do it long enough for Sehun and I to try and break this invisible wall open.”

      “Alright...”

 

      Luhan did his best at tossing nearby rocks at monsters or tossing the monsters themselves away whenever they came too close. At the same time, Minseok shot shard after shard of ice at the wall, most of them breaking on impact, while Sehun used his wind to try and force the icicles further into the force field. Jongin could only watch them from the side. It was always times like this when he felt the most useless. All he could do was pray that it would work.

 

      Finally, after what felt like a small eternity, a large crack appeared in the now slightly visible force field. Jongin continued to cheer them on, since there was little he could do in the battle. He would also glance around occasionally to check on the others. He'd completely lost track of Chanyeol, which worried him. He needed to stay with someone who could protect him though, so looking for his boyfriend was out of the question. He was just going to have to hope the fire guardian was ok.

 

      Luhan groaned and stumbled backwards slightly, clutching his head. Minseok immediately stopped what he was doing and rushed over to Luhan's side. Sehun and Jongin looked at them worriedly.

      “You ok?” Minseok asked, rubbing the other boy's back.

      “Yeah...My head's just starting to hurt.”

      “Trade places with me. I'll cover us for now,” Minseok stated. Jongin frowned.

      “What about the barrier? We need to break through it!”

      “Luhan needs to rest, Jongin. We don't even know if what we're doing is working. Be patient!”

 

      Jongin bit his lip. Sehun seemed fairly worn out as well and his shoulders were shaking slightly. They wouldn't be able to hold out if they kept wasting their power on the force field. There had to be something that Jongin could do to help. A thought suddenly occurred to him. It was stupid and could go terribly wrong, but it was worth a try at this point.

 

      He charged at the wall, slamming against it with his side. Pain shot through his entire body for a brief moment until he backed away. That seemed to have cracked the barrier further though, so at least it worked. He charged at it once more. He vaguely heard the others scream at him to stop, but he ignored them. Upon the third impact, he broke through, stumbling to the other side.

      “Shit! Quick, follow him!” Sehun shouted, rushing in after Jongin. The last thing they needed was to be separated further.

 

      Luhan and Minseok ran to the force field as well. Luhan made it through, but it closed right before Minseok could get in as well. He cursed under his breath and called after Luhan, even though he knew it was pointless. Once the field had closed, any trace of the other three had disappeared. They'd been completely cut off from each other, and there was no telling what awaited them on the other side.

 

~*~

      Daejung had just finished pouring blood over the last stone when a surge spread out over the top of the force field. He laughed bitterly to himself. The guardians were working faster than he had anticipated. They'd broken through the force field already. Myungki would stop them in their tracks though, so he didn't have anything to worry about.

 

      He moved to the altar at the center of the stone arrangement. The purple lights leading from the stones to the altar created a radial pattern. He knelt down before the altar and began chanting an incantation quietly. The streams of light grew brighter and an invisible force began pulsating around Daejung. Once his incantation came to an end, the seal would be broken and the demon would be free. There was nothing the guardians could do to stop him now.

 

~*~

      Jongin groaned and slowly lifted his throbbing body from the ground. Breaking through the force field hadn't been kind to him. He heard two other people rush over to him and soon, two pairs of arms were lifting him the rest of the way off the ground. Jongin looked up to find Luhan and Sehun staring at him in a mixture of fear and irritation.

      “What the hell were you thinking!?” Sehun snapped, keeping his voice low since they didn't know if they were alone just yet.

      “The force field broke, didn't it?” Jongin whined back.

      “Yeah, but you could have been killed,” Luhan countered. “You would have been separated from us if we hadn't rushed in after you...Minseok didn't even make it through before it closed again.”

      “I'm sorry...” The teleporter mumbled guiltily.

      “It's alright. Let's just...stick together and figure out where we are. I don't see the altar,” Luhan sighed, looking around.

      “We're still on the outer edge of the inner dome,” Sehun explained. “We'll need to go further in to find it.”

      “At least there don't seem to be any monsters,” Luhan grumbled.

      “But Daejung and someone else are here,” Jongin stated grimly.

      “Let's just head towards the center. We need to stop the ritual before it's too late,” Luhan urged. Jongin heard something and looked around.

      “Someone's coming! Hide!” He gasped.

 

      They found a nearby boulder and rushed behind it, holding their breath and praying that whoever was on their way wouldn't notice them. They peered over the rock and watched as a cloaked figure, someone different from Daejung, walked towards the wall of the force field they'd just burst through. The man stopped and glanced over to where they were, and the 3 held their breath, praying their rapidly beating hearts weren't giving them away. They heard the man laugh quietly, then he turned back to the force field and created a hole in it.

      “Daejung can deal with you,” he hissed before disappearing onto the other side.

 

      When he was gone, the 3 got to their feet shakily and exchanged fearful glances. The force field had closed once more, so they were alone. That man was outside with the others now.

      “He's going to attack them,” Luhan whispered.

      “Chanyeol...” Jongin whimpered to himself.

      “We need to go,” Sehun stated, voice shaking. He could stop his mind from drifting to thoughts of his own boyfriend stranded on the other side. “We don't have time to sit here and panic. If Daejung completes the ceremony, it's all over.”

 

      Luhan and Jongin nodded, knowing that Sehun was right. Worrying would do nothing but waste time. They grabbed each other's hands for reassurance and started walking forward. Realization that the fate of everything rested on their shoulders alone was starting to sink in.

 

~*~

      Minseok had ran as fast as he could back to the others when the force field had shut him out. Finally, he found Chanyeol and Suho, who were still relatively near Baekhyun and everyone else. He stopped beside the fire guardian, breathing heavily.

      “What's wrong!?” Chanyeol asked.

      “Jongin...” Minseok panted. That name alone was enough to shake Chanyeol up.

      “What about Jongin!? Where is he? Is he hurt!?”

      “I don't know where he is now,” Minseok continued, having regained some of his breath. “We were separated. There's some sort of force field keeping us from the ritual site. He broke though and Luhan and Sehun followed after him. I couldn't get through in time.”

      “So Sehun's missing too?” Suho gasped, overhearing the conversation.

      “Yes...I'm sorry...”

      “It's not your fault,” Suho sighed. “We're just going to have to trust them...”

 

      Chanyeol bit his lip. He never should have let Jongin out of his sight. It wasn't that he didn't trust the boy to be careful, or that he didn't trust Luhan or Sehun to protect him. It was just that Jongin had been through so much and Chanyeol wouldn't be able to bear it if something else happened to him.

 

      Suddenly, the invisible force field pulsated enough for them to see it, and a robed figure walked through it. Chanyeol and Minseok both took a step back in order to get further away from the new figure, but Suho seemed rooted in place. Chanyeol glanced at him and noticed that Suho's mouth was slightly agape and his entire body was trembling. Chanyeol had a bad feeling about this.

      “Well, well,” the robed man growled, looking at Suho. “We get to meet right away. It's been a while, hasn't it? Oh, what was it that your parents called you? That's right...Joonmyun...”

 

      Suho let out a sound that was a mixture of a whimper and a sob, and Chanyeol knew this man was definitely bad news. He cautiously walked to Suho and grabbed the boy's wrist, which caused him to jump. Chanyeol had never seen Suho so shaken up and afraid before.

 

      Suho gripped at his chest. It suddenly felt so hard to breathe. He hadn't heard that voice in years and he'd mostly blocked it out of his memory. Now everything was coming back to him. He was terrified. This man _couldn't_ be here. This had to be a dream. Why wasn't Sehun here with him. It was probably better that he wasn't, but Suho was so afraid. He didn't want to be alone. Not again.

      “Sehun...”

 

~*~

      Jongin, Luhan, and Sehun made their way to the ritual site without any disturbances. It was honestly unnerving just how quiet everything was. A sudden boom resounded and a wave of energy shot past them. They realized that it was from the ritual site and they were close, so they began sprinting forward.

 

      When they made it to the circle of rocks, they saw beams of light shooting from each of the symbols towards the altar. A portal had opened up right above it and darkness was seeping from it. Daejung, who'd been kneeling before the altar, got to his feet and sneered at them.

      “You're too late,” he stated, laughing darkly. “The seal is broken. I'm going to retrieve her now.”

      “No!” Luhan shouted.

 

      It was too late. Daejung had already backed into the portal, being consumed by the darkness. Jongin surged forward, not thinking at all about what he was doing once more.

      “We have to stop him!” He cried.

      “Jongin, wait!” Sehun screamed.

 

      Sehun raced after Jongin, trying to grab and pull him away from the portal, but it was too late. Jongin had already gone through. Sehun looked back at Luhan and the latter nodded, rushing over to him. They headed through the portal together, knowing that what awaited them on the other side was certain doom.


	30. Chapter 30

      Myungki took a menacing step forward and the guardians stepped back in fear. Suho looked inches away from breaking down and running. Chanyeol squeezed the boy's wrist tightly, trying to reassure him or calm him in the slightest, but Suho didn't even seem to notice.

      “You've grown up so much since the last time I saw you. The last time was when I killed your entire family, wasn't it?”The man growled at him.

 

      Chanyeol's eyes narrowed as he realized why this man affected Suho so much. This was the man that plagued the boy's nightmares, the one that had ruined Suho's entire childhood. He was an absolute monster.

      “Get away,” Chanyeol growled, anger boiling in his chest and free hand glowing with flame. The robed man raised a brow.

      “You got yourself a little bodyguard! How cute. He won't save you though. You'll all die here...”

 

      Myungki raised his hand to strike and Chanyeol immediately sent a fireball at him. At the same time, Minseok sent a few icicles his way. Myungki dodged both, but it prevented him from striking.

      “Suho!” Chanyeol called, shocking the boy out of his daze. “How does he fight?”

      “S-Similar to Luhan...” Suho stuttered. “He r-rips things apart with his power...”

      “Right,” the fire guardian sighed, not liking the sound of that. “So we need to make sure he doesn't have enough time to attack any of us. Did you guys hear that?”

 

      The other guardians nodded and began attacking the man in groups. Myungki was kept at bay by half of them while the other half focused on keeping the surrounding monsters away. Chanyeol turned and placed his hands on Suho's shoulders.

      “Hey,” he started softly. “You need to calm down, ok? If you don't focus, you're going to get yourself killed.” Suho looked at him with teary eyes, but nodded nonetheless. “I'll be here, ok? I won't let him hurt you again. None of us will.”

      “What if he hurts you?” Suho whimpered.

      “We won't let that happen. You can fight him, Suho. You can overcome this.”

      “I-I'll try...”

 

      Chanyeol nodded and gave Suho's shoulders a gentle squeeze before letting go. Suho shakily raised his hands and sent water at Myungki. Flashes of that night and the blood crossed his mind and his breathing quickened. He swallowed hard and forced himself to keep attacking. He needed to let go of everything and just fight, like he had so many years ago. This time, he needed to kill Myungki though, or at least protect the people he loved from the man.

 

~*~

      When Kai landed on the other side of the portal, he was completely surrounded by darkness. When he reached out, the darkness was so thick it almost seemed tangible. Wherever he was, it was definitely somewhere dangerous. He felt two people appear behind him and he glanced over his shoulder. He could barely make out the shapes of Sehun and Luhan.

      “Will you stop running head first into danger?” Sehun snapped at him.

      “Shh!” Luhan shushed, glancing ahead. “Look over there.”

 

      The other two boys followed the outline of Luhan's finger to where it was pointing. Two figures were crouched in the distance. They recognized one of them as Daejung. The other seemed to be a woman. They could see long, silvery white hair cascading over lavender skin. When they saw her eyes, they were a light, piercing icy blue. She was beautiful, but her presence and gaze was absolutely horrifying. They saw Daejung lean in close and whisper something into her ear before helping her to her feet. When she glanced over at them, the three felt as if all warmth had left their bodies, and they huddled together.

      “You're too late,” Daejung bellowed.

      “Your voice is too loud,” the woman stated in a half-whine, half-hiss. It was scary how her words and tone were so natural, yet fear-inducing.

      “I apologize, my lady,” the man quickly uttered, bowing to her. The woman clicked her tongue and looked at him in disgust.

      “Why did you take so long?” She growled. “Do you know how long I've been waiting in this damn place!?”

      “Forgive me, my lady.”

      “Wow, Daejung's totally whipped,” Sehun whispered to Jongin and Luhan. The two quickly shushed him.

      “Now's not the time to be a smartass, Sehun,” Luhan warned.

 

      Daejung bowed more to the woman. His once intimidating presence had been reduced to that of a kowtowing minion beside the demon. The difference in power was apparent just in the air around them. They had really messed up, failing to keep her contained.

 

      The demon suddenly lashed out at Daejung, extending one of her claws and piercing through his shoulder in seconds. The man cried out and pain and clutched his injury as she retracted her claws.

      “You're completely worthless,” she spat. “But at least you brought me some playthings. We can leave once I'm done with them, right?”

      “Yes, my lady,” Daejung answered weakly.

      “Good...”

 

      She took a step toward the three boys and they cowered slightly. The smirk on her face looked far too amused for their comfort. They didn't even know how powerful she would be, but they knew _they_ were the playthings.

      “Why so shy?” She cooed.

      “You're not really my type,” Sehun managed to reply. Luhan gasped and gripped at his wrist, silently begging him not to provoke her.

      “Oh really?” I think you'll find I can be _quite_ convincing.”

 

      She extended all of her claws and lunged at the three, ready to strike. Everything seemed to move in slow motion and it was impossible to breathe. The demon was actually attacking them. This was reality. They had failed.

 

~*~

      Chungho was still standing in the courtyard, gripping his staff so hard his knuckles were white. He could feel the immense aura being emitted from the ritual site and it didn't bode well. He was beyond worried about the guardians and whether they had succeeded. The time of the ritual had passed by now.

 

      A sudden wave of energy hit Chungho, and all his energy seemed to leave with its arrival. This energy could only mean one thing. He fell to his knees, gripping his chest with a pained groan. Taemin and Onew rushed to his side to see what the problem was.

      “Chungho, what's wrong!?” Onew shouted, leaning the man against him.

      “No...It's too late...” Chungho wheezed.

      “What?” Taemin asked.

      “It's too late...Get out of there, little ones...” The man breathed out.

 

      Onew and Taemin looked at each other nervously. If what Chungho was saying was the truth, then it was about to become hell on earth, and their friends were stuck right in the center of it all.

 

~*~

      Before the demon could strike, Jongin quickly teleported them some distance away. The woman stopped briefly, looking every so slightly startled by their disappearance. Then understanding flashed in her eyes and she smirked.

      “You're guardians,” she stated, highly amused. “It's been so long since I've seen any guardians. These ones are so much younger. It's refreshing!”

      “Pedo,” Sehun muttered to himself disgustedly. Despite his voice being barely audible, the demon still heard him.

      “What did you say, you little wretch!?” She shrieked.

 

      She charged at them, much quicker this time. She was obviously done playing around. The three split up to avoid her attack and the demon immediately focused her attention on Sehun. The boy tried to push her away with a gust of wind, but it hardly affected her. When she was inches away from striking him, her movement came to an immediate halt. Sehun stared wide-eyed at her, then over her shoulder at Luhan, who'd managed to stop her, but it was obvious he was struggling to keep her retained. The demon smirked and Sehun knew she was going to break free instantly.

 

      Sehun vaguely saw Luhan recoil as the demon easily broke his hold on her. Sehun quickly blasted himself away with a gust of wind. It made no difference, however. The demon simply raised her hand and 4 small glowing orbs formed in between her fingers. With one swift movement, she sent them flying at Sehun. They pierced his chest, stomach, and shoulder, and he fell to the ground. As pain began to register, he let out a sharp, pained scream.

      “Sehun!” Jongin cried out, wanting nothing more to rush to his friend, but he knew he would be killed instantly if he did.

 

      Luhan growled and raised his hands to the demon once more, forcing her to stand still while Sehun writhed on the ground before her. When Luhan was confident that he had her in his grasp, he spoke up.

      “Jongin, go get Sehun, and bring him back here. We're leaving.”

      “W-What?”

      “Get Sehun, and teleport us out of here!”

      “R-Right...”

 

      Jongin cautiously walked towards his injured best friend. His eyes never left the demon. She seemed fairly indifferent about her current situation, so Jongin was sure she had something else up her sleeve. As soon as he had hoisted Sehun's arm over his shoulder and was planning to teleport back to Luhan, the demon broke the boy's hold once again and lunged at Jongin. The boy felt something sharp pierce deep into his side and rip along his skin, tearing a gaping hole. His voice was caught in his throat as unbearable pain slowly spread throughout his torso. He managed a whimper as he collapsed to the ground underneath Sehun.

      “SHIT!” Luhan screamed.

 

      He poured every ounce of his concentration into detaining her once more, and even managed to push her away from Jongin and Sehun slightly. Jongin tried to push himself up and crawl to Luhan, but it ultimately ended in him falling back into the puddle of blood that was rapidly forming underneath him. Luhan couldn't help the sob that escaped his mouth at the sight.

      “Stay there, Jongin. I'll come to you. Don't move anymore.”

 

      Luhan quickly, but carefully walked over to the two injured boys. His eyes never left the demon, and his hands remained raised as he slowly knelt down beside them. He then lowered one hand to grab a hold of Jongin's.

      “Jongin, teleport us,” Luhan urged. “Please, I know you're hurt and I'm asking a lot from you, but I can't hold her much longer!”

 

      Jongin gave a weak nod and closed his eyes. Luhan saw Jongin grab one of Sehun's hands and seconds later, a weightless sensation overcame them. Luhan let his hold on the demon go finally. He could only pray Jongin was taking them somewhere safe.

 

      They landed a short moment later, and Luhan glanced around before letting out a sigh of relief. Jongin had managed to bring them back to the library. A short distance away, Onew and Taemin were holding Chungho, who looked like he was on the verge of passing out. As soon as Taemin saw the blood seeping from Jongin and Sehun, he bolted over, leaving Onew to tend to Chungho.

      “What happened!?” Taemin screamed, kneeling beside Jongin and Sehun.

      “The demon,” Luhan started, his head throbbing from using so much of his power. “She's back. We couldn't stop her.”

      “No...”

 

      Luhan looked away sadly. Jongin suddenly wheezed and Taemin's attention went immediately to the wound on his side. He pulled off his shirt and pressed it against Jongin's side, trying to stop the bleeding and earning an extremely pained whimper from the boy. Luhan let out a shaky sigh and decided to check on how Sehun was doing. The boy was moving about more than Jongin, but his situation didn't seem much better. Whatever objects she'd shot at him were still inside and very obviously causing him pain.

      “We need to get Lay here,” Luhan breathed. Taemin bit his lip.

      “How? Jongin's the one who would bring him here.”

      “Kris can fly him up here. If we can get a message to him...”

      “How!?”

      “Chungho...” Luhan called out tiredly. The old man didn't respond.

      “He's really weak now,” Onew explained.

      “Chungho!” Luhan cried desperately this time. The old man groaned and managed to open his eyes.

      “What is it, little one?”

      “Chungho, please! We need to send a message to Kris! We need Lay! If we don't, Jongin and Sehun will...”

 

      Chungho nodded slowly and held his hand up. Gradually, white dust began to swirl around above his fingers until it took the form of a small bird. It flew over to Luhan and landed on his shoulder.

      “Tell her your wish. She'll make sure it gets to Kris.”

 

      Luhan let out a shaky breath and tried to compose himself. He didn't quite understand how the bird was going to communicate a message to Kris, but he wasn't at a luxury to sweat the details.

      “Please find Kris. Have him bring Lay here...Sehun and Jongin are hurt. They're going to die, please...”

 

      He cut himself off and choked back a sob. The bird seemed to understand nonetheless and flew off. Luhan could only pray that it would get to Kris on time. He wiped at his eyes and decided to look after Sehun as best he could. The boy curled up on himself and cried softly, and all Luhan could do was rub his back and attempt to comfort him.

 

      Taemin ran his hand through Jongin's hair and the younger reached for Taemin's hand. Jongin was trembling and Taemin could tell he was scared and in a lot of pain. Tears were streaking down his cheeks, and Taemin was completely powerless to help this best friend.

      “Taemin...” Jongin breathed, looking up at him.

      “Hm?”

      “It hurts...” The injured boy whimpered. Taemin nodded and hushed him gently.

      “Lay will be here soon. Hang on, ok?”

      “I want...Chanyeol...” Taemin bit his lip and nodded.

      “When Kris comes with Lay, I'll ask him to get Chanyeol, ok? So you have to hang on so you can see him!”

 

      Jongin nodded weakly and closed his eyes. His breathing was labored and sharp. Taemin didn't know how much longer he would be able to make it, and that absolutely terrified him. He wouldn't be able to bear losing Sehun or Jongin. He glanced down at his shirt, which had already been soaked through.

      “There's so much blood...” He whispered.

 

~*~

      The demon sighed and wiped her claws off of her dress. After, she ran a hand through her hair and turned to look at Daejung.

      “My toys ran away,” she stated simply.

      “You're free to leave this realm, my lady. There are plenty of victims awaiting you on earth.”

      “Is that so?” She practically sang. “I better not keep them waiting. I've been dying to stretch my legs a bit. Take us back.”

      “Yes, my lady.”

 

      Darkness swirled around them as Daejung transported them back to the ritual site. He had succeeded at last. The demon would reign over the land once more and the guardians would crumble beneath her. Everything was going according to plan.


	31. Chapter 31

      The guardians were doing their best to keep Myungki occupied while fighting off the surrounding beasts as well. Kris would fly up with one of the guardians with wide ranged attacks, such as Minseok or Jongdae, and they would attack from the sky, taking out a wide area of monsters. That enabled the others to keep Myungki from being able to inflict any damage to anyone.

 

      After Kris had taken Minseok into the air to attack, they landed and the flight guardian took a brief moment to rest. Suddenly, a small, white bird came flitting over to him, stopping about a foot from his face. Kris couldn't believe that an animal would be daring enough to get in the middle of this, but as soon as the bird opened its beak, he realized why it was there.

      “Please find Kris. Have him bring Lay here...Sehun and Jongin are hurt. They're going to die, please...”

 

      Kris's eyes widened at the sound of Luhan's voice. He was extremely shaken up. Given what he'd said about Sehun and Jongin, it didn't sound like things had gone well on the other side of the force field. Kris rushed over to Lay, and the small white bird followed after him.

      “Lay! We have a problem!”  
      “What!?” The healer gasped. He'd been healing a cut Kyungsoo had received from one of the wolves.

      “Sehun and Jongin are hurt. Luhan said they're dying.”

      “What!? Where are they?”

      “Luhan sent a message through this bird,” Kris explained. “I think it will lead us back to him, but I need you to come with me.”

      “Right,” Lay sighed. He patted Kyungsoo on the shoulder. “You should be ok now,” he said softly.

 

      Kyungsoo nodded and whispered his thanks before rushing right back into the battle. For someone so new to being a guardian, Kyungsoo had a very strong sense of loyalty and determination. Lay turned to Kris and nodded. The flight guardian wrapped his arms around Lay and turned to the little bird.

      “Will you take me to Luhan?”

 

      The bird chirped and shot up into the air. Kris followed after it quickly, and his brow furrowed as he recognized the path in the sky. They were heading back to the library. Had Jongin teleported back there in the middle of battle?

 

      As soon as the library courtyard came into view, the bird dove down, perching itself on Luhan's shoulder. Kris landed, carefully setting Lay down, and the healer immediately rushed over to the two injured boys.

      “What happened!?” He shouted, kneeling in between Sehun and Jongin.

      “The demon's back,” Luhan said tiredly. “She practically killed both of them with the flick of her finger.”

      “Shit...” Kris gasped. Lay sighed, looking defeated.

      “Jongin looks like he's lost a lot of blood. I'm going to look at him first.”

      “Alright. Thanks, Lay...”

      “Ah, Kris!” Taemin called out, looking up from his dying friend. “Do you think you could get Chanyeol? Jongin wants him...”

      “Yeah, of course!” Kris quickly answered.

      “Get Suho as well,” Lay added. “He's gonna wanna be with Sehun, I can already guarantee that.”

      “Right...”

 

      Kris quickly flew off again, not wanting to see how bad their injuries were. He'd already seen his fair share of bloody gashes. He was more than happy to be in charge of escorting everyone. Given Jongin's condition, it was pretty likely that he would be getting everyone out of the battlefield anyway.

 

      Lay gently removed Taemin's hand and bloody shirt from Jongin's side and began peeling back the torn fabric of Jongin's own shirt. Taemin gasped when he laid eyes on Jongin's side. The skin around the wound was completely black, as if something was spreading from the wound. Lay let out a shaky breath.

      “There's darkness spreading from the wound,” he explained quietly. “I don't think I can heal him like this.”

      “What!? Lay, you have to! He's dying!” Taemin cried.

      “I know, but I need Baekhyun to get rid of the darkness first. As soon as Kris gets back, I'll have him go get Baekhyun. Jongin is just gonna have to hang on until then.”

 

      Taemin bit his lip and nodded, pressing his shirt back against the wound and earning a weak whimper from Jongin. The latter was fading at an alarming rate and Taemin was starting to fear that it might be too late by the time Baekhyun got there.

      “Hang on just a little longer, Jongin. Please...” He whispered, running his free fingers through the boy's hair. He didn't receive a response.

 

~*~

      When Kris landed again, he had to search a bit before he found Chanyeol and Suho. Thankfully, the two were staying close together after Suho's initial freak out. Kris ran over to them, trying to figure out how he was going to break the news that their boyfriends were both dying at that moment.

 

      Suddenly, Myungki growled under his breath, pushing all the attacking guardians away from him. He glanced around at each of them and smirked.

      “This has been a fun play date, but I'm afraid I must leave you here. You see, there's a demon that I need to go greet. It's the courteous thing to do.”

      “Demon...” Minseok repeated. “Does that mean...”

      “Your little friends failed,” Myungki sneered. “And if she got a hold of them, I wouldn't be surprised if they were dead.”

 

      The guardians exchanged nervous glances and Chanyeol's entire body seemed to tense. Kris was really going to have a hard time telling him about Jongin now. Myungki let out a rough, cold laugh and darkness swirled around him.

      “Until the next time we meet, little guardians! Try and stay alive until then~”

 

      As soon as Myungki was gone, the guardians were swarmed with more beasts and immediately began fighting them off. Kris placed his hand on Chanyeol's shoulder with a heavy sigh. Suho was still beside the fire guardian, so at least he would only have to say it once.

      “What's up?” Chanyeol asked.

      “It's about Jongin and Sehun...” Kris started. Both Chanyeol and Suho's eyes widened in worry. “They're hurt really bad. Jongin managed to get them back to the library, but they were really messed up...Jongin was asking for you, and Sehun...would probably ask for you too if he could...”

      “Take us to them!” Suho gasped and Chanyeol nodded rapidly.

      “Alright, hold on to me. I'm going to fly you both there.”

 

      Chanyeol and Suho each grabbed Kris around his shoulders and the latter grabbed their waists before flying upwards. It was a lot harder carrying 2 people and Kris was going slower than he would have liked, but this was the best he could do. Finally, the library appeared in sight. As soon as they landed in the courtyard, Chanyeol and Suho rushed over to the injured boys on the ground and knelt beside them.

      “What happened!?” Suho exclaimed, shifting Sehun's head onto his lap. The boy's face was contorted in pain, and Suho's eyes landed on the multiple bloody spots on his torso.

      “The demon is back,” Luhan explained once more. “She attacked Sehun first then hurt Jongin. We managed to escape, but...”

      “Kris,” Lay called. “I'm sorry to keep doing this to you, but I need Baekhyun now. He needs to purify Jongin's wound.”

      “Alright, I'll go get him,” Kris answered tiredly.

      “Thank you.”

 

      Kris left once more and Lay focused his attention on Sehun. Now that Suho was here, he had someone to hold Sehun down while he tried to treat his injuries. He tore Sehun's shirt open to get a better look at the wounds and Luhan gasped at the sight. The orbs that had been shot into Sehun earlier seemed to have started sprouting roots, spreading underneath his skin.

      “We need to get those out...” Lay mumbled. “Luhan, can you pull them out?”

      “I-I can try...”

      “Suho, hold him down if he struggles, ok? This will probably hurt him, but it'll be worse if he's squirming around.”

      “Alright...”

 

      Suho placed Sehun on the ground again and placed his hands firmly on his shoulders, pressing down. Sehun suddenly tensed and the veins spread out further from his wounds. Lay clicked his tongue.

      “We need to move fast. Whatever these are, they're spreading. Luhan, pull them out, but make sure to get the roots too.”

      “Right...”

 

      Luhan held his hand out and slowly began lifting one of the orbs out of Sehun's body, the roots eventually sliding out as well. As Luhan worked, Lay healed the damage. Sehun tried to squirm away, but Suho was much stronger than him in this state.

 

      Chanyeol watched them work from beside Jongin. The boy suddenly whimpered and Chanyeol's attention darted to him. He carefully lifted Jongin's head and placed it on his lap, running his fingers through his hair and along his shoulder.

      “It's ok, Jongin. Help's coming...”

      “Chan...yeol...”

      “I'm right here.”

 

      Jongin seemed to relax somewhat. Taemin still had his shirt pressed against his wound. It was almost completely soaked with blood now. If Kris didn't hurry back with Baekhyun soon, it would be too late for Jongin.

 

~*~

      The demon perched herself on the altar, kicking her legs without a care in the world. She tipped her head back and sighed as a gentle breeze brushed by. She'd missed this feeling far too much. Now she was free, and the new guardians were nowhere near strong enough to trap her again. She would never have to go back to that dark hell.

      “Daejung,” she suddenly hissed. “I didn't get to play with the guardians enough. I want another one.”

      “Another one, my lady?” The man asked, already sounding tired. His injury was only growing worse as time went on.

      “Is there a problem?”

      “No. I'll find one for you now.”

 

      The demon didn't say anything else. Instead, she laid back on the altar, completely relaxed and at ease. It was amazing what a little fresh air could do for her. She almost seemed like her old self again, but Daejung knew far better than to believe in that kind of mentality. The woman he loved was gone and this was what was left.

 

      Daejung made his way out of the force field. When he was on the other side, the first guardian he spotted was the light guardian. He almost laughed at how fitting it was. No matter what he did, his past would always haunt him. The light guardian would be easy prey for the demon at least.

 

      Daejung made his way quietly over to Baekhyun and was about to attack when the boy span around, shooting light at him. Daejung groaned in pain and shielded his eyes.

      “Get away!” Baekhyun shouted.

 

      Daejung growled and sent several dark wisps shooting up from the ground. They wrapped around Baekhyun, constricting him to the point where it was painful and he cried out in pain. Daejung smirked and walked closer, wobbling on his feet slightly from blood loss.

      “There's a demon who's dying to meet you. Wouldn't you like to have the honor?”

      “NO!” Baekhyun screamed, trying to wiggle free but failing.

      “I'm afraid you don't have a choice...”

 

      Daejung raised his hand and Bakehyun looked away. He heard Daejung cry out in pain suddenly and glanced up to find the man impaled by a long blade. Behind him was none other than Tao. Baekhyun let out a relieved sigh. The darkness around him then weakened and he wiggled out of it with ease.

      “Tao!” He called happily.

 

      The time controller removed his blade from Daejung and kicked the man to the ground. Baekhyun ran over to Tao's side and glared down at robed man, who was now sputtering and hacking up blood.

      “It's fitting to meet my end by you, isn't it?” Daejung laughed, glaring at Tao. The boy cringed slightly and Baekhyun reached for his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.

      “Let's go. He's done for,” Baekhyun said gently. As they started to walk away, the dying man called out to them.

      “Wait!” Baekhyun turned and looked at him coldly, though there was still fear in his eyes. “Before you go, take this...You need to see this, little light bulb...”

 

      Daejung held out what appeared to be some kind of book. Baekhyun cautiously took a step forward, though Tao tried to stop him. He gradually walked over and knelt down, taking the book from a now limp hand. He flipped through the pages, noting that it was written in the same ancient alphabet that all of Chungho's logs were written in.

      “What is this?” He asked.

 

      Daejung didn't respond. Baekhyun dared to shake his shoulder slightly, but still there was no response. The robed man was dead. The light guardian stood up with a sigh and walked back over to Tao. The latter eyed the book suspiciously.

      “He just gave you a book?” He asked in disbelief.

      “Yeah. I can't read any of it, so we're going to have to translate it back at the library.” Tao nodded. “Thank you for earlier,” Baekhyun said gently. “You saved me...”

      “It's the least I could do to repay you,” Tao replied, smiling sheepishly.

 

      Kris landed a short ways away from them and rushed over. Baekhyun's face lit up and he ran to meet Kris, immediately getting scooped up into an embrace.

      “Are you alright?” Kris asked, cupping Baekhyun's cheeks and kissing his forehead.

      “Yeah. Tao saved me...He killed Daejung.” Kris glanced up at Tao, looking both worried and thankful.

      “Are you ok?” He asked the other boy. Tao nodded.

      “Yeah. I'm fine.”

      “Kris, are you ok?” Baekhyun asked, noting how exhausted his boyfriend looked.

      “I'll be better when all of this is over,” he sighed. “I've been flying people back to the library. And I need to take you there now. Jongin's hurt and the wound needs to be purified. Think you're up for it?”  
      “I don't have a choice, right? Take me to Jongin!” Kris nodded and looked over at Tao again. “Will you be ok here, Tao?”

      “Yeah. I'll go find the others. Take Baekhyun before it's too late.”

 

      Kris nodded and held Baekhyun close. The latter wrapped his arms around Kris's shoulders and they flew away seconds later. Tao sighed and started searching for the others. If nothing else, the battle was finally starting to die down, but from the sound of things, they'd lost.

 

~*~

      As soon as Kris landed at the library, Baekhyun hopped out of his arms and ran over to Jongin. Lay was just finishing up healing Sehun, who was completely still now. As soon as Lay finished, Suho scooped Sehun up into his arms and held him close, placing soft kisses on the top of the boy's head.

 

      Lay scooted over to Jongin and Taemin removed his completely soaked shirt. Baekhyun gulped at the sight and took a deep breath before placing his hand over the black skin. He carefully pulled the darkness from it and crushed it in his grasp, nodding at Lay to start working. Kris frowned at the sight. He would never get used to seeing so much blood.

      “I'm going to go ahead and bring the other guardians back,” he stated. “There's no way Jongin's doing it and the battles pretty much over. We need to get everyone out of there before the demon finds them.”

      “Alright. Thanks Kris,” Lay called as the flight guardian left once more.

 

      Gradually, Kris brought the guardians up one by one while Lay focused on healing Jongin. His head ached from using so much of his power on the 2 boys, but if it meant keeping them both alive, he would do whatever it took. As soon as Minseok was brought back, he ran over to Luhan and clobbered him in a hug.

      “Thank God you're ok,” he breathed, squeezing Luhan so hard it hurt.

      “Minseok...” Luhan whimpered.

 

      He'd been so focused on making sure Jongin and Sehun were taken care of, he hadn't even started to process everything that he'd just been through. Now he was realizing that he'd survived a near death experience and that it had been absolutely horrifying. His shoulders shook slightly and a small sob escaped. Minseok held him tighter, pressing Luhan's face into his chest so that the latter could cry without being seen if he needed to, and that was exactly what the other boy did.

 

      When Kris had finally brought everyone back, he sat down tiredly beside Baekhyun and leaned his head on the boy's shoulder. Lay finished healing Jongin and closed his eyes, trying to will the headache away. Chanyeol ran his fingers along the fresh scar on Jongin's side and bit his lip. The boy still seemed really weak and pale, but he wasn't bleeding out anymore at least.

      “What do we do now?” Jongdae asked quietly.

      “I don't know...” Suho answered, still cradling Sehun in his arms. “What's wrong with Chungho?”  
      “He suddenly collapsed,” Onew explained. “He hasn't woken up since...”

      “I'll take a look at him when I feel better,” Lay stated. “For now, we all need rest...Especially Jongin and Sehun.”

      “So the demon is back?” Kyungsoo asked. Lay nodded grimly. “So we failed...”

      “Yeah...We failed...” The healer agreed.

      “At least Daejung is dead,” Baekhyun offered, trying to lift the atmosphere. “So that's 1 threat down...”

      “But we have the demon and that other man to deal with,” Chanyeol grumbled. Suho stiffened at the mention of the second man.

      “We're not going to fight them today, so let's not worry about that now,” Taemin stated. “You all need to wash up and rest. Onew and I will take care of food. Let's take this whole saving the world thing one day at a time, ok?”

 

      The group nodded and slowly piled back into the library. Chanyeol and Suho carried Jongin and Sehun, while Baekhyun and Tao helped support Kris and Lay as they walked inside. The rest helped Onew carry Chungho to his room, where they laid him down. There was an unbreakable gloom cast over them for the rest of the evening. Despite trying their hardest not to think about it, all of the boys couldn't help but wonder just what would happen now. They were completely alone in a battle that they probably wouldn't win.


	32. Chapter 32

      Suho laid beside Sehun in bed, snuggling him close with his face nuzzled into the boy's shoulder. Sehun had yet to regain consciousness after the battle, and Suho knew it was stupid to expect him to do so any time soon after how hurt he'd been, but he couldn't help but hope. He couldn't stand being in a state where he couldn't do anything for the boy.

 

      As the hours passed, Suho's eyelids started drooping. The previous battle had exhausted him both physically and emotionally. He didn't even know how to deal with _that_ man being back. Every time he thought about it, panic started eating away at him, and he forced himself to focus once more on Sehun to calm down. He felt horrible for using the boy as a means to avoid his own problem, but it was the only thing he could do now.

 

      About halfway through the night, Sehun finally stirred. Suho had fallen asleep a short while before, but the instant the boy in his arms moved, his eyes shot open once more. He propped up on his elbow and stared worriedly at Sehun's face. The boy's brows furrowed as he groaned.

      “Sehun...?” Suho asked.

      “Joon...myun?” Two tired eyes stared up at Suho and he'd never been more relieved to see them.

      “Oh my God, you're awake!” He dropped his head onto Sehun's chest and wrapped his arms around him. “You scared me half to death! I thought you were going to die! If Luhan and Lay hadn't been there...”

      “I'm sorry,” Sehun mumbled, weakly wrapping his arms around Suho's torso. The latter shook his head.

      “I'm sorry you had to go through that. Were you scared?”

      “Honestly...I probably wasn't scared enough. It didn't feel real until she hit me, you know? Are Jongin and Luhan ok?”

      “Yeah...Jongin almost died, but Lay and Baekhyun saved him. It took a lot out of Lay to take care of you two. Luhan and Baekhyun are pretty worn out too.”

      “I'll have to thank them tomorrow for saving me...”

 

      Suho nodded and sighed, relaxing against Sehun's chest. He could feel the bumps and raises of the new, veiny scars underneath the boy's shirt. He closed his eyes, gripping tightly at the fabric. He'd been far too close to losing Sehun than he would have ever wanted. The younger must have noticed how upset he was as well, because Sehun snuggled him close, kissing the top of his head gently.

      “You ok?”

      “Yeah...”

      “Joonmyun,” the younger sighed, not believing him at all.

      “No...I'm not ok at all...”  
      “What's wrong? Tell me. I'm here for you.”

      “Everything's wrong. You almost died, the demon's back... _He's_ back, Sehun...”

      “He...You mean, the man who killed your family?” Suho nodded.

      “He was at the battle. He's working with the demon.”

      “Joonmyun...” Sehun hugged him closer, almost painfully so, but Suho needed the physical reassurance.

      “I was so scared...I could barely move.”

      “I'm so sorry I wasn't with you...” Suho shook his head.

      “It's not your job to babysit me.”

      “Of course not, but I wanted to be with you. And if that guy were in my sights, I probably would have sent him flying.” Suho laughed gently.

      “I don't know if I would have wanted you there...I don't think I could bear it if he hurt you.”

      “I won't let him hurt me. Or you, for that matter. We're gonna get through this, Joonmyun. We'll find a way to get rid of that man and the demon. There has to be something.”

      “You really think we can do that?”

      “If not, then I guess we'll die trying.” Suho's face fell slightly and Sehun rubbed his back.

      “We don't need to save the world tonight, alright? Let's think things through with the other guardians when everyone's recovered. For now, how about we sleep? I doubt you've gotten much rest since we got back, right?” Suho nodded slowly.

      “I couldn't sleep without knowing you were ok.”

      “I'm ok now, so sleep. You need it.” Suho yawned and nodded once more, nuzzling against Sehun's chest.

      “I love you,” he whispered. “I'm glad you're alright.”

      “I love you too,” Sehun mumbled back, placing another kiss on Suho's head.

 

      Sehun was still exhausted from the battle, and while his wound had been healed, he didn't feel any less sluggish than he had before. It didn't take long for him to fall asleep, especially with Suho practically on top of him acting like a blanket of sorts. He made sure to wait until he could tell Suho was resting though. Despite the fact that he was pretty sure Suho was older than him, Sehun really felt like he had to look after him and monitor him closely. Perhaps that was just because he absolutely adored Suho. He'd do anything to make sure the other was happy and healthy.

 

~*~

      Baekhyun and Kris had gone back to their room following dinner. Kris sat down on the bed, leaning his back against the wall. Baekhyun set a small book down on the desk, one that Kris didn't really recognize, and instantly went over to join Kris at his side. Baekhyun proceeded to fall asleep, resting on Kris's shoulder, about 5 minutes later. He must have been exhausted. Even Kris was feeling a pounding headache coming on.

 

      When he was just considering tucking Baekhyun into bed and going to sleep himself, there was a gentle knock on the door. Kris called out for the person to come in, and soon enough the door opened, revealing Tao. The boy smiled shyly and quietly shut the door behind him as soon as he saw that Baekhyun was sleeping.

      “What's up?” Kris asked in a whisper.

      “Lay was completely exhausted after the battle, so he fell asleep in our room. I'm still a little too strung out to sleep though, so I wanted to let him be. Do you mind if I stay here for a while? I'll be quiet.”

      “It's fine,” Baekhyun said softly before Kris could say anything.

      “Baek, you're awake?” The blond asked in surprise. The tired light guardian nodded.

      “I'm in and out.”

      “Should I leave then?” Tao asked. Baekhyun shook his head.

      “You're fine.”

 

      Tao nodded and crept over to the desk chair and sat down. Baekhyun yawned and his eyelids drooped. It was obviously he wouldn't be awake for more than 5 to 10 minutes. Kris wrapped an arm around him and ran his hand up and down his back. Tao's eyes caught sight of the small book on the desk and he picked it up flipping through the pages.

      “Is this the book Daejung gave you?” He asked Baekhyun. He received a tired hum in response.

      “Wait, Daejung gave you that!?” Kris gasped, eyes wide.

      “Yeah, he didn't tell me what it was though...Just looks like one of the old books you'd find in the library,” his boyfriend answered sleepily.

      “Are you sure it's safe?” Kris asked skeptically.

      “It's a book, Kris,” Tao sighed, flipping through the pages. “It's not even written in our language...”

      “It's in an ancient language that only Chungho knows,” Baekhyun explained. “I was going to ask him, but he's not really in a state to help me, so I guess I'm at a loss...”

      “We'll just have to see if he wakes up,” Kris tried to comfort.

 

      Thinking about the future to any degree really stressed Kris out at this point. He hadn't been particularly hopeful before, but now that the demon was loose, he was starting to wonder if it was even worth fighting. To be perfectly honest, he didn't think it was.

 

      Tao stayed in the room, quietly talking to Kris for some time. Baekhyun had long since fallen back asleep by the time Tao left to head back to his own room. Kris laid down with a sigh, Baekhyun cradled in his arms. Something about Daejung giving Baekhyun that book didn't sit well with Kris. He knew that was probably the next closest thing they had to any information on the demon, but he was scared. Daejung had tormented all of them too much for Kris to trust anything that came from him. For now, he was just going to be content that they were all still alive somehow. He'd learned well to be thankful for the simple things in life.

 

~*~

      Jongin was still unconscious throughout the morning of the day following the battle. Suho had reported that Sehun had woken up, and he had taken breakfast back to their room for him, since he didn't want him to move around too much yet. Jongin had slept completely through breakfast and well on his way through lunch though, to Chanyeol's dismay. He was pacing back and forth in their room, about ready to start begging at Lay to try and heal Jongin more when he heard a small groan from the bed. He rushed over and knelt beside it, grabbing the boy's hand.

      “Jongin?” He called nervously. The boy groaned again and Chanyeol placed his other hand on his cheek. “Jongin, are you ok?” Finally, the boy's eyes fluttered open.

      “Chanyeol...?”

      “I'm here.”

 

      Jongin rolled onto his side and tried to push himself up, but all the strength in his body seemed to have left. He wobbled on his arm for a few seconds before plummeting back on the bed. Chanyeol lunged forward to catch him and steady him before rolling him onto his back again. He sat down beside Jongin on the bed and ran his fingers through his hair.

      “Don't push yourself,” he whispered.

 

      Chanyeol could feel tears stinging his eyes, but he forced them back. It was hard to see Jongin in this state, but he knew that it would only scare the younger boy if he suddenly started crying. Truthfully, he was just happy that Jongin was awake again.

      “How long have I been sleeping?” The boy asked, voice hoarse and shaky.

      “All night and about half the day...You could probably use more rest, honestly...”

      “Is everyone safe?”

      “Yeah. We've been hiding in the library since the battle. Seems like the demon doesn't know about it and Daejung is dead, so he couldn't exactly tell her.”

      “That's good,” Jongin sighed. Chanyeol smiled at the amount of relief that graced the boy's features at that fact.

      “Do you wanna eat anything?” Jongin shook his head.

      “I'm not that hungry...”  
      “Alright. I'm going to make you eat later though, got it?”

      “K...”

 

      Chanyeol continued to brush through Jongin's hair. The boy looked like he was only half conscious, so asking him anything too complicated would probably just result in a confused pout. Chanyeol was fine with the silence though. After Jongin had woken up somewhat more, he tugged on Chanyeol's sleeve lightly, causing the other to cease all his actions.

      “What's up?”

      “I'm kinda cold...Will you hold me?”

      “Of course,” Chanyeol answered softly.

 

      He laid down beside Jongin and the boy used what little strength he had to press himself against Chanyeol's chest, letting his arms flop around the other boy's waist. Chanyeol's arms snaked around Jongin's back, fingers gently caressing a small bit of exposed skin where his shirt had ridden up. Jongin's eyes were level with Chanyeol's and their noses were just barely touching, breath tickling their skin.

      “You really shouldn't have rushed in there,” Chanyeol chastised gently and Jongin smiled apologetically. “But if you hadn't, Sehun and Luhan would have died, so I'm glad you were able to get them out...”

 

      Jongin smiled softly and scooted his head just a bit closer to Chanyeol's so that their lips were almost touching. Chanyeol brought one of his hands up and cupped Jongin's cheek, running his thumb lightly along his lips and cheek.

      “What would I have done if I'd lost you?” He asked, looking straight into Jongin's eyes. “That scared me more than any damn demon rising.”

      “I'm sorry,” Jongin mumbled. He leaned forward and pressed his lips onto Chanyeol's. “I love you...” The other boy flushed. Jongin wasn't usually that bold.

      “L-Lucky for you, I still love you too,” Chanyeol countered, trying to seem calm but failing.

 

      Jongin giggled and snuggled closer to Chanyeol. He was always so warm and comforting. Jongin never would have gotten to where he was today without Chanyeol. He'd been a pillar of support for him long before Jongin had even realized it, and he loved Chanyeol for that. He didn't think he could ever have gone through this without him.

      “Hey, Chanyeol...?” Jongin asked softly.

      “Hm?”

      “Can we...kiss some more?”

      “W-What?”

      “I really liked it...but um, if it's not ok, then that's fine too...”

      “You don't even need to ask me for something like that,” Chanyeol soothed, his lips brushing against Jongin's with each word. “I'll always be happy to do so.”

 

      He pressed their lips together, nibbling softly at Jongin's bottom lip. The latter returned the kisses, though he was slow and a little sloppy, probably because he was still somewhat asleep. Chanyeol wasn't going to complain one way or another. Eventually, he got a bit daring and pressed his tongue gently into Jongin's mouth. The younger boy let out a mixture of a sigh and a small mewl, so Chanyeol figured he didn't completely hate it.

 

      Jongin kissed Chanyeol for quite a while, though he let the other take the lead for most of it. It wasn't until Jongin was pretty much nibbling at Chanyeol's lips in his sleep that the older pulled away. He let out a soft laugh and pressed the boy's face into his chest. Jongin was far too precious for his own good, and if the demon didn't kill Chanyeol first, Jongin surely would. At least at the end of the day, he still had this joy to look forward to. He would always treasure Jongin and do anything in his power to protect him.

 

~*~

      Later that evening after dinner, Baekhyun scanned through the library, looking for some semblance of a dictionary so that he could begin translating the book Daejung had given him. Finally, he found a pile of notes that Chungho had written. It seemed the man was trying to preserve the ancient language as best he could by making his own dictionary of sorts. He probably didn't have much else to do with all his time cooped up in the library. At least it would help Baekhyun.

 

      He carried the massive pile of notes back out to one of the desks in the library and set them down with a sigh. It was going to take ages to translate the entire book of handwritten notes that Daejung had given him. He didn't even know if they were going to be useful, and he really didn't have a lot of time to waste on this, but it was all he could do.

 

      He sat down and started sifting through the notes. Eventually, two people approached him. He spotted them in the corner of his eye and glanced up, meeting Taemin and Onew.

      “What are you doing?” Taemin asked, staring curiously at the pile of papers on the desk.

      “Daejung left me this journal when he died...I figured I should try and read it, but it's in that ancient language only Chungho knows.”

      “Lay looked at him today and it doesn't seem like he's going to wake up,” Onew said sadly.

      “I know,” Baekhyun sighed. “So I'm on my own in this I guess...”

      “No, you're not,” Taemin corrected. “We'll help you.”

      “Haven't you guys already wracked your brains enough with this kind of stuff...?”

      “We're not just going to sit here and watch you do it alone,” Onew stated, sitting down beside him.

      “Besides, we picked up some things from reading all the logs. We'd be happy to help, especially if it has some clue about what to do about the demon,” Taemin added.

      “I doubt we'll get that lucky,” Baekhyun grumbled. “But it's worth reading to find out.”

      “So shall we get started?” Onew asked, smiling widely. Baekhyun heaved another sigh and nodded.

      “Yeah...”

 

      They turned the journal to the first page and divided up the notes, beginning their search. It would still take some time, but three heads were always better than one. Baekhyun could only hope Daejung wasn't playing a cruel trick on him even after death. For whatever reason though, something in his gut was telling him this was the key. He would find out one way or another once they'd managed to translate it.


	33. Chapter 33

      The demon took a deep breath as she walked around the crumbling streets of Seoul. She hadn't seen Daejung since he had left, and she had gotten tired of waiting, so she had decided to peruse the destruction on her own. It was something calming to her, seeing how lifeless and barren it was. It also filled her with irritation though. Daejung had had too much fun without her and gone overboard. She was going to have to go elsewhere to have any fun herself.

 

      As she was walking, she heard a light scuffle behind her and span around, claws at the ready. She instantly dropped them and sighed when she was met with Myungki. She only recognized the man by the robe he was wearing as one of Daejung's followers.

      “You're Daejung's minion,” she stated.

      “I beg to differ about being his minion, but I worked with him to free you. It's an honor to meet you,” he said, bowing slightly.

      “Where is he? I've grown tired of waiting for him.”

      “I'm afraid he's dead,” Myungki said easily. “Seems the guardians finished him off.”  
      “What a waste,” the demon scoffed. “He would have been worthless to me anyway.”

      “What will you do now, my lady? You're free to roam this world as you see fit.”

      “That's a good question,” she sighed. “It's so barren here. I'd rather play with fresh meat...”

      “Shall I watch over Korea and the little guardians for a while?”

      “I suppose. I'll be back when I'm bored of shooting fish in a barrel. They'll be the most challenging game I'll come across, so try not to kill them all before I get back.”

 

      With that, darkness whirled around the demon, and she vanished before Myungki. The man let out a bored sigh and kicked the rubble at his feet. Somehow, things had become much more boring now with Daejung's death and the demon's departure. He could only hope that the guardians wouldn't stay hiding forever and they would try to save the world again. They were naive and falsely courageous like that, so he was certain they would be back.

 

~*~

      Onew, Taemin, and Baekhyun spent a good portion of the night trying to translate the first few pages of the book. They each took one, Onew working on the very first. When he'd finished it, he sat back in his chair, eyebrows furrowed.

      “This is a diary...” He stated.

      “What?” Baekhyun asked, looking up from his page. “I mean, it seemed really emotional and mundane and stuff, so I guess...but would Daejung _really_ give me an ancient diary?”

      “The first line is 'Dear diary,'” Onew sighed. “If that doesn't spell diary, I don't know what does.”

      “Who's diary is this then?” Baekhyun asked, holding it up.

      “I think I can answer that...” Taemin mumbled, holding up his page and pointing to a name at the end. “Daejung's.”

      “What the hell!?” Baekhyun practically shrieked. “You mean all this 'dear diary' stuff and blubbering about how pretty the goddess is was actually written by Daejung!?”

      “A very young Daejung,” Onew stated. “It starts when he's 18 and just met the goddess for the first time.”

      “You think this will actually help us?” Baekhyun asked skeptically.

      “It's worth a try,” Taemin reasoned. “I mean, if nothing else, we'll learn how the goddess used to be.”

 

      Baekhyun nodded and continued flipping through the pages. There were quite a few, and even with the three of them, it would take some time to translate everything. This was all they had going for them though, so they would just have to do their best. They worked tirelessly for a little while longer, until they could hardly keep their eyes open, then headed off to bed to sleep for a few hours. After breakfast, they would resume their work.

 

~*~

      That evening, Luhan found himself tossing and turning, the events of the previous battle replaying constantly in his mind. Finally, as the demon flashed before him, he sat up in a panic, crying out. He instantly covered his mouth, remembering that Minseok was sleeping beside him. At least he had been until his outburst. Now the boy was groaning sleepily and pushing himself up into a sitting position.

      “What's wrong?” Minseok mumbled, rubbing his eyes and staring at Luhan worriedly.

      “Nothing...Just remembered the battle and freaked out...Sorry for waking you.”

      “Luhan, do you want to talk about it? You saw the demon face to face and had to drag Jongin and Sehun half dead back to the library...You haven't said anything about it, but I know it scared you...”

      “I thought I was going to die,” Luhan whispered softly, leaning on Minseok's shoulder. “She was so strong, Minseok. There's no way we're going to be able to fight her...”

      “We don't know that for sure...”

      “I could barely match her for a minute. She was toying with us, and Jongin and Sehun almost died. Even with all 12 of us, we probably won't be able to land a hit on her.”

      “Let's not count ourselves out of the battle just yet, ok? I know it's hard for you not to think about it, but seriously, try to think of something else for now. Something that doesn't have to do with death and destruction. Think you can do that?”

      “I don't know...What is there to think of besides that?” Luhan pouted. Minseok smirked and quickly pressed their lips together.

      “There's that,” he stated when he pulled away. Luhan's cheeks were bright red.

      “O-Oh...”

 

      Minseok leaned forward again, pressing their lips together and pushing Luhan down onto the bed. The other sighed as Minseok gently nibbled at his lips, sometimes darting his tongue inside teasingly. It wasn't particularly passionate, and Minseok was still very obviously half asleep, but it was enough to fry Luhan's brain for the evening, which was probably what Minseok was trying to do in the first place. When the older finally broke away, he smiled softly and brushed Luhan's bangs out of his face.

      “If you ever need a reminder like that, I'm more than happy to oblige,” he laughed. He leaned down and kissed Luhan's forehead. “I can't even begin to imagine what you went through in there with Jongin and Sehun, but I can at least do this much for you. Don't be afraid to lean on me, ok?”

 

      Luhan nodded and snuggled against Minseok, nuzzling into his neck. He felt two warm arms wrap around him and he sighed in response. Minseok had this strange way of calming Luhan down, no matter what they were going through. He really loved that about the other boy.

      “I love you,” Luhan whispered.

      “I love you too. Try to get some sleep, ok?”

      “K~”

 

      Luhan placed a gentle peck on Minseok's jaw, then snuggled back into the boy's chest. Inhaling Minseok's scent and being surrounded by his warmth definitely made getting to sleep easier for Luhan. While the horror and doubts were still there, at least he had someone more pleasant to focus on that night.

 

~*~

      Baekhyun, Onew, and Taemin worked endlessly over the book. One thing they had learned very well was Daejung was once a complete and total sap. Reading his diary was bordering on nauseating with how much he loved the Goddess. That was another thing they had confirmed. He was absolutely, madly in love with her. They couldn't understand why things had gone so wrong though, nor why he would release her in demon form thousands of years later.

 

      Most of the notes were generic retellings of days passed, so they were able to skip through them fairly easily. Onew stumbled upon one note in particular that seemed to be a turning point in Daejung's life. Once he'd finished translating it, he read it out loud for the other two.

 

_Dear diary,_

 

_Today, I finally told the goddess something_

_that had been eating away at me. I told her today_

_that I loved her. More than just a goddess who_

_rules over me. I told her I loved her as a woman._

_I was expecting her to shun me, or worse banish_

_me, but she gave me such a wondrous answer._

_As a goddess, she could not return my feelings,_

_but as a woman, she returned them wholeheartedly._

_When I asked her what she wanted to do about_

_the situation, she told me that she'd break the_

_rules for me. We'll have to keep it secret, but it_

_will be worth every moment I get to spend_

_with her; every moment that she is mine and_

_mine alone._

 

      He set the page down and looked at the other two. They seemed to be somewhat shocked and confused.

      “They were actually lovers?” Baekhyun muttered to himself. “I was starting to think it was just his own delusion. But she loved him too...”

      “She wasn't supposed to...So that more or less means Daejung was involved in a scandal with a goddess,” Taemin figured.

      “Do you think that has something to do with her becoming a demon?” Baekhyun asked.

      “Not sure. We're going to have keep reading for that,” Onew grumbled.

 

      It was an exhausting process, but they were finally starting to make headway somewhere. If they could keep up this pace, they might actually learn what really happened back then, or at least Daejung's take on it. Perhaps there was some sort of hidden clue in this old diary after all.

 

~*~

      They ended up having to skim through several journal entries following. As it turned out, Daejung was someone that liked to go sometimes painfully in depth about how each date with the goddess went. It was honestly starting to irritate and gross them out because they were living on borrowed time. If Daejung had wanted Baekhyun to see something, couldn't he have just simply given him the needed information? Why did they always have to jump through hoops for everything and anything they needed.

 

      Finally, towards the end of one day, Baekhyun translated a page that gave him a bit of hope. The tone of it was completely different from the previous ones in the journal. This was possibly the start of the information they needed to know. He read it out loud to the group, his heart racing despite the sullen tone of the entry.

 

_Dear diary,_

  
_Today, the air was heavy. The people seemed_

_restless. Everything felt darker. I went to see_

_the goddess, but she seemed almost ill._

_She was weaker than normal and couldn't_

_focus on the conversation. I was wondering_

_if the harvest had been bad and thus she was_

_worried, but as I was leaving, I looked at the_

_Tree of Life. The branches were sagging and_

_leaves were falling. I fear the tree is beginning_

_to die. Wouldn't that mean the goddess would_

_die with it? I dare not think such thoughts._

_I'm concerned for the future. I don't know from_

_where it came, but there is darkness lurking_

_about. I will protect the goddess at all costs._

 

      Baekhyun let out a deep breath as he finished reading and glanced at the other two. This was treading into territory they were familiar with.

      “This lines up with what Chungho told us,” Taemin stated.

      “From here on, she's going to get possessed by the darkness, right?” Onew asked. Baekhyun nodded.

      “I don't think Daejung is going to take it well in his notes...With how much he loved her, it's no wonder he took her fall the hardest.”

      “But he sealed her away with the rest of the guardians, didn't he? Why would he undo that?” Taemin asked.

      “I don't know. Maybe there's something Daejung knew that the other guardians and Chungho didn't,” Onew offered. “Maybe this is what he wanted us to find.”

      “So the real deal starts now,” Baekhyun groaned.

 

      He didn't like the sudden feeling of dread that settled in his stomach. Perhaps he was just worried about what information laid in store for them, but somehow, it felt like more than that. Baekhyun felt like whatever Daejung had wanted them to find would directly affect Baekhyun himself. After all, he was the new light guardian. In that sense, he had a connection to Daejung. Perhaps the man wanted Baekyun to finish what he himself couldn't.


	34. Chapter 34

      Daejung's journal continued to keep the three busy. Even after things took a turn for the worst, most of his notes were just wallowing in sorrow and self pity. It wasn't until Onew stumbled on one that they got a clue about just why Daejung might have given this book to Baekhyun. Onew had stopped the other two mid translating to listen to what he'd just finished.

 

_Dear diary,_

  
_The goddess continues to grow weaker each_

_day. It pains me to see, but she never lets_

_me help her. Today, she asked me a very odd_

_request. She gave me directions to go to a_

_blacksmith and have a blade forged. The blade_

_would be made out of the finest materials and_

_crafted extremely thin, adorned with a sacred_

_light stone. It seemed strange for her to ask_

_for such a thing, but I will do anything for her._   
  


      Following the note, the three looked at each other, frowning. The dagger seemed important. Why hadn't Chungho ever mentioned something like this? Did he not know about it?

      “Have you seen anything else about a dagger?” Onew asked. Bakehyun held up his note.

      “Well, this one is all about retrieving a dagger from a blacksmith. Daejung seemed pretty upset because the goddess asked him to hold onto it. Apparently she told him he would know what to do when the time came. Why does everyone have to be so damn cryptic with these things?”

      “So we still don't really have much to go off of except that there was a dagger made with a light stone. Given that fact, I'm guessing it was created to fight off the darkness,” Taemin reasoned.

      “But where did the dagger go? Why didn't Daejung use it if he knew it could fight against the darkness? Wasn't he in love with the goddess? Why didn't he save her?” Baekhyun asked.

      “I guess we'll see what happens,” Onew sighed, pulling out the next page of the diary to translate.

 

      They worked well into the evening. That was around when they found Daejung's note where he mentioned that the goddess split the Tree of Life, giving him the power of light. Apparently, the goddess had planned to give him light all along, which was why she must have trusted him with the creation of the light dagger. It still didn't make sense that Daejung wouldn't protect her, especially now when her powers were at their weakest. It wasn't until several notes later that they received more concrete answers.

  
_Oh diary,_

  
_My heart is broken. The goddess, she had_

_this planned all along. She really is a fool._

_She let the darkness consume her. I understand_

_why she gave me this wretched dagger now._

_It's a purification knife. She wanted me to use it_

_on her the entire time. Why? Does she think I_

_could kill the one I love? Or is this the goddess_

_asking me this and not my love? Either way, I_

_cannot do it. My heart and my will are too weak._

_The other guardians know not of this blade. I_

_will hide it away and search for another solution_

_to the problem with them._   
  


      Baekhyun stared at the note with a frown on his face. If this dagger really could purify, they could use it to defeat the demon now, right? That was literally its entire purpose. Where on earth could it be hidden though? If Daejung didn't give them a clue on that, Baekhyun was going to scream.

      “The blade purifies, right?” Taemin asked. “Do you think it would bring the goddess back or kill her?”

      “I don't know,” Baekhyun shrugged.

      “Why didn't Daejung consider that before giving up hope? It could have avoided a lot of mess...”

      “I still don't see why he let her out so many years later,” Onew sighed. “Unless he regretted his decision and wanted to finish what she'd asked him to do.”

      “Except I have to finish it,” Baekhyun grumbled. “Given it's a light dagger, I'm guessing it only works for the guardian of light.”

      “That's a safe assumption,” Onew agreed.

      “But where the hell is it!? If we have to go on another wild goose chase like you two did for the ritual, we're doomed!”

      “Let's just read,” Taemin sighed. “There's only a few more pages left.”

 

      They divided the last few pages among them and began to translate. Daejung briefly explained that he gave his power away to someone else, who was apparently Baekhyun's ancestor. After that, it seemed the darkness consumed him and he was too cold and heartless to write cheesy diary entries anymore.

 

      Baekhyun was about to give up home when he found one last note, folded up neatly and pressed under the loose flap of leather on the inside cover of the back of the book. He pulled it out and glanced it over, realizing it was written in modern Korean. Daejung must have written it recently. He gulped and began reading through the note in depth.

 

_Little light bulb,_

  
_I take it by now you've finished reading this_

_wretched diary of mine. How I loathe myself_

_for ever writing it, let alone sharing it with you._

_I don't quite know why I bothered to show it to_

_you. I really couldn't care less if this world_

_prospered or died._

  
_I was driven by love and affection back then and_

_made foolish mistakes. I think the most foolish_

_one was not dealing with the goddess when I had_

_the chance. Locking her away was the worst_

_thing we could ever do to her. It only prolonged_

_the problem and her suffering. Now all the_

_original fools are dead and our problem has been_

_passed on to a new set of naive idiots. But_

_somewhere in the last bit of warmth in my heart,_

_I have hope. A hope that you can make things right._

_That you can finally save her. I released her out_

_of a final sense of duty, in hopes that you could_

_purify her with the help of the other guardians._

_I would love to see that pure-hearted, idiotic_

_woman again._

  
_The dagger I spoke of in my notes is hidden away._

_You can find it in my room at the underground_

_sanctum. Do you remember the room with the_

_symbols carved into the stones? The place where_

_the Tree of Life was once rooted. If you use your_

_power on the sun rune, you'll be able to get into_

_my room. Bring Chungho with you. There will be_

_a barrier to dispel and runes to translate. The_

_dagger is hidden somewhere in that room. Let's_

_have a final game of hide-and-seek. Do your best._

  
_With much hate,_

  
_Daejung_   
  


      Baekhyun let out a shaky breath and set the note down. Onew and Taemin looked at him nervously. They'd been told everything they needed this time, but the task was still going to be impossibly hard.

      “We have to go back there...” Baekhyun whispered. “What about that other guy working with Daejung? And the demon. What if she's there? Not only that, but Chungho is...”

      “We've translated his entire diary plus some of Chungho's old logs,” Taemin stated. “We can help you with the runes.”

      “There's no way I can take you two into the heart of the enemy base!” Baekhyun gasped.

      “We've been there before,” Onew shrugged. “You need help and Taemin and I can do it, so why not let us?”  
      “Because I'm scared you two will get hurt...”

      “We're not going to go alone. We'll let the other guardians know,” Taemin offered. Baekhyun bit his lip.

      “A lot of them are still recovering from the last battle. Plus taking everyone might just draw more attention to us...”

      “Then we'll take the ones who are well enough and willing to fight,” Onew stated. He placed a hand on Baekhyun's shoulder and squeezed gently. “You shouldn't do this alone, Baekhyun. We're here to help you.” The light guardian nodded slowly.

      “We'll need Jongin to help us,” Baekhyun mumbled, and Taemin stiffened slightly. “Kris can only carry 1 or 2 people at once, and it wears him out. That won't do if we need to get out quickly...”

      “I'll talk to him,” Taemin said gently.

 

      The thought of throwing Jongin back into danger after watching him almost bleed to death in front of him was definitely not appealing to Taemin, but they had no other choice. Baekhyun was right, they needed him for a quick entrance and exit.

 

      They left the library, feeling beyond nervous. Luhan was still exhausted from fighting the goddess and Sehun and Jongin were both still recovering. They were hesitant to ask Suho as well, especially if that man showed up. He would be a sitting duck, and no one could afford that. Pulling Lay into danger definitely wasn't a good idea either, so it was better if he stayed behind. Kris would also be a sitting duck in an underground hideout, so Baekhyun immediately ruled him out. He couldn't bear to see Kris get hurt either. Instead, they decided to ask Kyungsoo and Chen to help them. Baekhyun had pulled them aside after dinner, praying and hoping they would agree to help.

      “Um, so the other day at the battle...Daejung gave me this book,” he started. Jongdae grimaced.

      “What kind of book was it?”

      “It was his diary from the time when he was the light guardian,” Baekhyun explained and the others' eyes widened. “We finished translating it and it turns out there's a dagger which could defeat the demon...The problem is it's in Daejung's hideout.”

      “So we need to go get it,” Kyungsoo supplied. Baekhyun nodded.

      “If you want to say no, I won't make you come, but I would really appreciate the help.”

      “Of course we'll come,” Jongdae exclaimed. “I know that place like the back of my hand and if there's something that could help us actually stand a chance against her, we need to get it at all costs.”

      “We'll help you,” Kyungsoo reaffirmed. Baekhyun bit his lip.

      “Thank you. It could be really dangerous. We won't know until we get there.”

      “We've all almost died so many times, what's one more?” Jongdae laughed. “This needs to happen, so we'll help you.”

      “Thank you...”

      “When will we go?” Kyungsoo asked.

      “Tomorrow,” Baekhyun sighed. “We just have to get Jongin on board as well.”

      “Alright. We'll be prepared then.”

 

      Baekhyun nodded and thanked them one more time before letting them go. He leaned against the wall with a sigh, closing his eyes. He had a horrible feeling about this, but it really was the only way. He could only hope Daejung wasn't lying about where he hid the dagger.

 

~*~

      Taemin knocked on Jongin and Chanyeol's door later that night. Jongin had been at dinner, but he still looked exhausted, so Chanyeol had made him go back to bed. Taemin wasn't sure if Chanyeol was in there now, but he doubted the fire guardian would let Jongin go with them if he knew what they were planning to do. He heard a quiet voice tell him to come in and Taemin opened the door, shutting it lightly behind him.

 

      Jongin was lying on his side on the bed. His shirt had shifted in such a way that a small amount of the scar on his side showed. Taemin bit his lip, feeling horrible that he was about to put his best friend in danger again, but they had no choice. He walked over and squatted in front of the bed so his eyes were level with Jongin's.

      “Hey,” Taemin said gently.

      “What's up?” Jongin asked, his voice tired and heavy with sleep.

      “I need to talk to you about something important...” Jongin nodded for him to continue. “Baekhyun, Onew, and I have been translating this book Daejung left us. Turns out he has a dagger that we could use to purify the demon, but we need to go get it from his hideout. We need you to take us there...”

      “When?”

      “Tomorrow if you're feeling up to it...”  
      “Yeah, I can do that. I've been feeling better recently. I'm just really tired tonight.”

      “It's fine. Don't push yourself, ok? If we need to, we can put this off for a little while longer.”

       “No, let's go tomorrow!”

      “Alright,” Taemin sighed. “I'm sorry...”

      “It's ok! Really...”

 

      Taemin nodded and started to get up, but another voice suddenly resounded in the room, making him jump and grab onto the bed so he didn't fall over.

      “There's no way you're going,” Chanyeol boomed, coming through the door and shutting it behind him.

      “You know, eavesdropping isn't really a good habit,” Taemin grumbled. “And we need Jongin. We can't do this without him.”

      “He's not going. Not without me.”  
      “Huh?”

      “I'm not letting him out of my sight again. If you're going to take him somewhere dangerous, I'm coming too.”

      “I didn't think you'd let us go at all,” Taemin sighed. “But we could use all the help we could get right now.”

      “Then it's settled. I'm coming with you.”

      “I'll let Baekhyun know,” Taemin mumbled, getting to his feet. “We're planning to leave tomorrow, so rest well, both of you.”

      “Goodnight Taemin!” Jongin called.

      “Night!”

 

      Taemin walked past Chanyeol, nodding at him slightly as a goodbye, then left them alone in their room. Almost instantly, Jongin scooted over on the bed and patted the spot beside him so Chanyeol could join him. The latter laid down beside him with a sigh and snuggled him close.

      “I didn't think you'd let me go,” Jongin mumbled into his chest.

      “I don't have a choice, from what Taemin said. I just want to keep you safe from now on, that's all. I can't almost lose you again.” His fingers brushed over Jongin's scar.

      “You won't lose me,” Jongin whispered, hugging him close.

 

      Chanyeol kissed the top of his head and ran his hand up and down Jongin's back. He wasn't feeling that confident about their excursion tomorrow, but worrying about it now wouldn't do any good. It couldn't be much worse than failing to stop the ritual, so they would just have to try their luck. This time for sure though, Jongin wasn't leaving his side.


	35. Chapter 35

      The following morning, Baekhyun and the others who were going with him gathered in the main hall after breakfast. They hadn't let any of the others know of their plan since they wanted to keep it low key. They had almost made it out without being spotted, but Lay was good at sniffing out people who were about to do something really stupid.

      “What are you doing?” He asked, staring at them suspiciously. “Don't tell me it's a store run, because you wouldn't bring Onew and Taemin with you if that were the case.”

      “Lay,” Baekhyun started. “We need to go get something from Daejung's hideout. It could help us fight the demon.”

      “Don't you think you should take everyone then? Or at least me!? Why are you bringing Onew and Taemin straight into enemy territory?”

      “We offered to go!” Onew exclaimed. “There's something we can help with, so we wanted to go.”

      “So why not bring everyone?”

      “Because some people are still recovering and we can't afford to get everyone trapped down there.”

      “But it's fine to bring Jongin, who's barely back on his feet, and leave me behind?”

      “We can't lose you,” Chanyeol stated. “You're our healer, so we can't afford to lose you. I'll take care of Jongin and if things get hectic, he'll transport us back to you. Alright?”

      “Fine,” Lay sighed. “The instant something happens, you get your asses back here, you hear me? I don't want to be dealing with dying friends again...Please.”

      “We will, Lay. I promise,” Baekhyun stated.

      “Have you told Kris you're going?”  
      “No...” Baekhyun mumbled. “I'll be back soon and I didn't want him to worry or try to come with me...”  
      “I'll let him know then,” Lay grumbled. “He's going to want to know this, Baekhyun.”

      “Alright...We have to go now though.”

      “Be safe. Come back soon.”

 

      The group nodded and held hands, disappearing instantly from Lay's sight. He bit his lip and tapped his foot nervously. He had an absolutely horrible feeling about this. He supposed all he could do was stay there and wait for them to come back though.

 

~*~

      When they landed, they were once again in the underground hideout, in the circular room with the large stones. Jongdae seemed visibly uncomfortable to be back in this place. Baekhyun felt bad for asking him to come, but they needed help. He walked over to the stone with the sun rune on it and ran his fingers over it.

      “What do we do now?” Jongin asked. Baekhyun shook his head.

      “Daejung said to use my power on the rune...But beyond that, I have no clue.”  
      “Well, just give it a try then,” Chanyeol encouraged.

 

      Baekhyun nodded and closed his eyes. He focused his light on the palm of his hand, trying to send it into the cold stone. He felt the rock tremble before him and he opened his eyes. The sun rune had lit up, causing the entire stone to violently shake. The others huddled close to him nervously, and soon, light shot out from the rock, consuming all of them.

 

      When they opened their eyes again, they were in another stone room, but this one was completely empty. Baekhyun's heart sank and he quickly walked around, looking for anything that might lead them to the dagger or anything of substance.

      “Did it fail?” He asked, looking at Onew and Taemin in fear.

      “I don't know,” Taemin answered. He ran his fingers along the stone walls. “This doesn't seem right. There's something strange going on.”

 

      The group walked around the room, trying to find anything that might point them in the right direction. Finally, Onew noticed some small engravings on one of the walls, down near his feet. He squatted down and ran his fingers along it. It was in the ancient language, and he recognized some of the characters, but he couldn't quite make out what it said.

      “Taemin, come here! Help me read this!”

 

      His boyfriend quickly dropped to his side and the two worked together, trying to translate what it said. When they finally had a rough translation, they turned to Baekhyun.

      “When the bearer of light hails the one true goddess, the illusion shall fade,” Taemin stated.

      “What the hell is that supposed to mean!?” Baekhyun groaned.

      “Did Daejung ever mention the goddess's real name?” Kyungsoo asked suddenly. “What if you're supposed to say her name or something like that?”  
      “He never did,” Onew said, clearly disheartened. “We have no way of knowing.”

 

      Baekhyun let out a frustrated groan and pulled his hair. They'd come too far for there to be nothing here in the end. He closed his eyes and tried to think as hard as he could about anything that Daejung or Chungho might have said. There was nothing though. It was hopeless. He let out a deep sigh, keeping his eyes closed. All he knew how to do was control light, so perhaps if he glowed enough, something would happen. Or he would just blind all his friends. Either way, it was worth a shot.

 

      As the light radiated from him more and more, a strange sense of warmth started overcoming him. Voices that he couldn't quite make out started whirling about in his head. Normally, that would have worried him, but these voices seemed to be connected directly to the light, as if they were voices of guardians past, trapped in the remnants of light and passed down through the ages. Suddenly, one voice spoke above the others, filling Baekhyun's entire head with a single name, a single rune visualized it in my mind.

 

      His eyes shot open, glowing almost pure white as light flowed from him. He held his hand out and slowly traced the rune in the air with his fingers. Light flowed from his fingers, forming the rune in front of him. When he was done, the rune glowed brightly once more, consuming the room in light. When it faded this time, the group was surrounded by large bookshelves covered in dust. Baekhyun's hand dropped to his side and he closed his eyes again as the light stopped flowing from him. His knees suddenly gave out and he fell to the ground.

      “Baekhyun!” Jongin gasped, rushing to his side. “Are you ok?”  
      “Yeah,” the light guardian breathed. “It just winded me a little...”

      “What did you do!?” Jongdae asked.

      “I don't know. It was like my power just took over and did that on its own...”

      “We're in Daejung's study though!” Taemin said happily. “We did it!”

      “Now we just need to find the dagger,” Baekhyun sighed, getting to his feet.

      “Keep your eyes open for monsters and that freaky guy,” Chanyeol warned.

 

      They split up and began searching the study. Jongin, Chanyeol, and Baekhyun went one way, while Onew and Kyungsoo went together, and Taemin and Jongdae went another way. Everything was quiet and they made substantial progress in tearing the old study apart, but the blade had yet to show itself, but it had to be there. Only Baekhyun could have broken through that illusion, leaving the study untouched for centuries. The blade had to still be there.

 

      As Kyungsoo was searching a shelf a short distance from Onew, he felt his throat suddenly constrict. He gasped for air, but it was no use. He span around quickly to find Myungki a short distance away, hand raised and slowly choking him. Kyungsoo tried to make a sound to alert Onew, but it was no use. Myungki slowly lifted him in the air and off his feet, and Kyungsoo took that opportunity to kick the bookshelf, causing the entire ground to rumble. That gained Onew's attention and he backed away, eyes wide in horror.

      “Myungki's here!” He shouted, hoping the others would come and help. The man clicked his tongue.

      “And here I wanted to pick you off one by one quietly,” he growled.

 

      He threw Kyungsoo to the ground some distance away and the boy coughed and wheezed, trying desperately to regain his breath and get to his feet again, but Myungki had already set his sights on Onew.

      “R-Run...” Kyungsoo pleaded weakly.

 

      Onew charged away from the man, darting quickly around bookshelves in an attempt to get away and stay out of his sight. Unfortunately, Myungki was much faster, and he easily caught Onew in his grasp. He laughed darkly and slowly got closer, maniacal grin on his face growing with each step.

      “You aren't very smart, are you? What good is a mere human going to be against me?” Onew tried to squirm free but it was no use. “Shall we make a bet? How long do you think it will take for you to bleed out?”

 

      Onew felt his arm dislocate seconds later, followed by the unbearable, tearing feeling of muscle and flesh. He cried out in pain, tears streaking down his face as his arm was completely severed from his body. Myungki only laughed louder, tossing his arm to the side and preparing to rip off another limb. Before he could though, a stone spike shot out of the floor and a bolt of lighting flashed at him, forcing him to dodge and let go of Onew. The injured boy fell to the ground, whimpering and gripping at his bloody shoulder. Seconds later, Taemin and Jongdae ran over to him.

      “Jinki!” Taemin cried, hugging the injured boy's head to his chest. “Oh my God...”

 

      Taemin glanced up just in time for Jongdae and Kyungsoo to team up against Myungki. They were keeping him occupied, but Taemin needed to get Onew back to Lay. They needed Jongin for that. He didn't think he would be able to move Onew very far in his current state, so he was just going to have to hope Jongin got there soon.

 

      Thankfully, some distance away, Chanyeol, Jongin, and Baekhyun had heard the commotion and Onew's scream. Chanyeol had immediately rushed towards the battle, telling Baekhyun to focus on finding the blade, and Jongin had followed right after him, knowing he would have to teleport them all out of there. As soon as they got to the others, Chanyeol joined in the fight against Myungki and Jongin rushed to Taemin and Onew.

      “Jongin...He's...His arm,” Taemin whimpered.

      “I'm taking you back to Lay! Chanyeol!” Jongin cried.

      “Go!” The fire guardian shouted. “We'll be fine.”

      “I'll come back soon!”

 

      With that, the three disappeared, and Chanyeol let out a breath of relief. Myungki was still laughing hysterically through all of this.

      “You guardians are such fools, thinking you could handle the demon. You can't even put a scratch on me, and I'm playing with you. You left the door right open to this place as well. So careless.”

      “Where's your damned demon now then?” Chanyeol growled.

      “She got bored of Korea, so she went to destroy France it seems. I'm more than enough to take care of the likes of you.”

      “I'd like to see you try!” Jongdae shouted.

 

      He sent another bolt at Myungki and this one managed to graze his shoulder. The man growled and tried to attack him, but he was sent backwards by a large stone. Chanyeol sent fireballs at him without letting up. They couldn't afford to mess up here. Not while Baekhyun still needed to find the knife and Jongin wasn't there to get them out. They had to hold out a little longer.

 

~*~

      A few of the other guardians had gathered with Lay once he'd explained the situation to them. They were just a anxious for the group that had left to come back. Finally, Jongin landed before them with Onew and Taemin in hand. Lay saw the blood dripping on the floor and instantly rushed forward, looking for the source. When he saw the severity of Onew's wound, he wanted to scream in both frustration and worry.

      “What the hell happened!?” He shouted.

      “Myungki,” Jongin stated simply. “I have to go back for the others!”

 

      Jongin was gone in a matter of seconds, leaving Lay to take care of Onew. He immediately started using his power on the wound, biting his lip in an attempt to keep himself grounded. This was far worse than he had initially expected.

      “Lay, will you be able to help him?” Taemin asked, tears pouring down his cheeks. Onew had long since passed out in his arms.

      “I can heal the wound, but I can't bring his arm back, Taemin,” the healer explained gravely.

      “Just keep him alive, please...”

 

      Around them, the other guardians were watching with horror. Sehun heard someone breathing rapidly beside him and he turned to find Joonmyun covering his mouth and trembling. Sehun quickly realized that this was bringing back a lot of trauma for Joonmyun and he'd probably seen these same types of injuries on his own family, except they hadn't been so lucky as to have Lay there. This couldn't be good for him to watch.

 

      Sehun grabbed his hand and pulled him away. The other didn't put up much of a fight, stumbling behind him dazedly. They received a couple of curious glances from the others, but no one stopped them. Even they were struggling to see Onew in this condition, but they couldn't leave without seeing the others return safely.

 

~*~

      Baekhyun had been frantically tearing the study apart, searching for anything that could even resemble a blade. He was just about to give up hope and flee when he spotted a dusty box jammed into one of the shelves. He pulled it out with some difficulty and pried it open, finding an old, intricately carved dagger inside along with a note. He quickly opened the note, scanning it to make sure this was the right dagger. The note was from Daejung, written in modern Korean, so it was easy to read.

 

      There was more in that note than what Baekhyun had ever bargained for, however. He dropped the paper and the dagger in shock as the words registered in his mind, and placed a hand over his mouth. A loud explosion from the battle caused him to jump and leave his temporary daze, and he quickly picked up the box, shoving the note back inside with the dagger and shutting it. He rushed towards the sounds of the fight, hoping they would be able to leave as soon as possible.

 

      He got there just in time to see Jongin teleport back. He ran over and immediately grabbed onto the boy, startling him. After that, Kyungsoo sent a giant stone flying right at Myungki, knocking him away long enough for them to grab onto Jongin. Within seconds, they'd teleported away, leaving the crazed man alone in the study. They finally had the dagger, but the cost of attaining it had been more than any of them could have predicted.


	36. Chapter 36

      Jongin and the group landed rather ungracefully in the main hall, a short distance away from Lay, who was still busy healing Onew. Jongin rushed over to Taemin's side, wrapping an arm around his back in support. Baekhyun cautiously got to his feet and walked over, afraid to see just what had happened to Onew as a result of dragging him into a dangerous situation. When he saw the stub of Onew's shoulder, his hand immediately pressed over his mouth. This was his fault. He never should have brought Onew and Taemin with him.

 

      Lay sighed and lowered his hand, taking a long glance at Onew's shoulder to make sure he'd healed everything he could. After that, he patted Taemin's shoulder sympathetically.

      “I've done what I can. He'll be alright now.”

      “Thank you...I'm going to take him back to our room,” Taemin whispered.

 

      He readjusted Onew in his arms and slowly got to his feet. Jongin helped him balance the unconscious boy as they both headed away. Lay stood up shakily, holding his head as it pounded, then glared at Baekhyun. The latter wasn't even remotely surprised when Lay stormed over to him, but the smack to the face he received after caught him off guard.

      “What the hell were you thinking!?” Lay hissed. The guardians stared in fear as the normally calm healer lost his cool. “This is why I said you should bring me or at least bring more fighters! What would have happened if it had been the demon instead of Myungki!?”

      “Yixing, calm down...” Tao soothed, not wanting to see a fight break out. His boyfriend merely shook his head.

      “No! Onew and Taemin had no business being there! He shouldn't have gotten hurt!”

      “We needed them!” Baekhyun shouted back, feeling tears stinging his eyes and a painful, constriction in his chest. “I never would have found Daejung's study without him!”

      “It's my fault Onew got hurt,” Kyungsoo spoke up from the side. “I was the one who didn't protect him well enough, not Baekhyun.”

      “Of course not Baekhyun,” Lay growled. “He can't protect anyone with his stupid power.”

      “Yixing!” Tao shouted this time.

 

      This was going too far, and judging from the look on Baekhyun's face, he was minutes away from breaking down. Kris wasn't here either, and if Tao couldn't diffuse the situation, they were going to need to break it up. He rushed back to the rooms, hesitantly leaving the scene of the fight, but Kris was going to need to be there to get Lay to back off and to get Baekhyun away.

 

      Lay took a step forward and shoved Baekhyun backwards. Jongdae and Kyungsoo both went to Baekhyun's side defensively, while Chanyeol put his hand on Lay's shoulder firmly, trying to keep him from advancing.

      “That was uncalled for, Lay,” Chanyeol said darkly. “We're all just trying to get through this. You don't have to get hostile.”

      “You're not the one who has clean up and take care of everyone after you all almost die! I'm tired! You're going to kill me if you keep doing reckless things like this and getting people hurt or almost killed. You need to think about more than just yourself.”

      “I am thinking about more than myself!” Baekhyun yelled, stepping forward. “But you know what? If it bothers you so much, you can just leave me to die!”

 

      Baekhyun shoved past Lay and rushed out of the room. Chanyeol let out a deep sigh and let his hand drop from Lay's shoulder. He really wasn't good at diffusing these kinds of situations like Suho was. Kyungsoo and Jongdae exchanged nervously glances and decided it was time to leave the scene as well. Right as they were leaving the room, Tao rushed back in with Kris behind him.

      “What happened? Where's Baekhyun?” Kris asked, looking around.

      “He and Lay got in a fight,” Chanyeol sighed. “Baekhyun just left. I don't know where he went.” Kris nodded and exhaled deeply.

      “I'm going to go look for him. I'll talk to you later, Lay...”

 

      Kris turned with a sigh and rushed out of the main hall. The library was big and Baekhyun was really good at hiding in it, Kris had found. Tao walked over and cautiously grabbed Lay's hand.

      “Let's go back to the room. You're exhausted,” he suggested to the healer. Lay nodded.

      “Sorry Chanyeol,” he mumbled.

      “I'm not the one you just tore into,” the fire guardian grumbled. “You and Baekhyun talk it out when you both aren't livid at each other.”

 

      Lay nodded slowly and let himself be pulled away by Tao. After that, Chanyeol decided to head back to his and Jongin's room. He wasn't sure if Jongin had returned yet, but he would soon enough. He could only hope Baekhyun had found what he was looking for. Otherwise, the sacrifice was much too great.

 

~*~

      Baekhyun hadn't stopped running until he was well into the maze of bookshelves in Chungho's library. He didn't want to see anyone right now. The box with the dagger and the note was still clutched between his fingers. He needed to hide it. No one could see the note that was inside.

 

      He made his way to the place where Onew had found Daejung's secret hideout. It was probably better to hide it there than anywhere else in the library. He pressed the stone in the wall and waited as it slid back, revealing the small hallway leading to the study. Baekhyun closed it behind him, not wanting anyone to follow him.

 

      Once he was inside, he held the box out in front of him, opening it one more time. It was as if he hoped the note had been a figment of his imagination, or he'd read it wrong. But as he unfolded it, the words stared right back at him, just the same as what he'd seen when he first opened it.

 

_Little light bulb,_

  
_So you found the knife. From here onward,_

_it's up to you. This is probably the most_

_important and painful thing I can ask you to do._

_Why painful, you ask?_

  
_Taking down the demon will be no easy task, and_

_will demand a great deal of you. You're going to_

_need all the help you can get. I suggest you trap_

_her in a light dimension. You can figure out_

_how to do that on your own. There is plenty of_

_information in Chungho's library to guide you._

_Your light dimension will naturally be strongest_

_on the day of the Festival of Light. You can find_

_that out on your own as well if you do a little_

_research. Next, once you've trapped her, you'll_

_have to channel your energy into the knife, as_

_much as you can possibly give. While you're_

_doing this, you must stab her. Her heart would_

_be the most effective area of course. It sounds_

_simple enough, but there is one other thing I_

_have to tell you._

  
_Using this knife will consume a lot of your_

_energy. If you hope to actually purify or kill_

_the demon, I'm afraid you'll need every last_

_ounce of your strength. What I'm trying to_

_say is you won't come back from this alive._

  
_You need to ready yourself emotionally for_

_this. You'll be separated from your loved_

_ones and friends. In all sincerity, I truly am_

_sorry that you must bear the burden of our_

_mistakes and our stupidity. You can choose_

_to run away and live out the rest of your days._

_It makes no difference to me. The fate of_

_the world is in your hands now._

  
_Daejung_

 

      He let out a shaky breath and folded up the note, placing it back in the box. He hid the knife inside Daejung's desk and took a step back. Hopefully no one would think to go to his secret study and search for it. Only Taemin, Onew, and Jongin knew of its location, and Baekhyun wouldn't be asking any of them for help from now on. He would do this by himself.

 

      He leaned against the wall and slid to the ground, wrapping his arms around his knees and pressing his face into them. Now that he was finally alone, he let the tears fall. He hoped people wouldn't hear him through the wall, but he needed to just let everything go.

 

      Lay's words kept echoing in his head. _You need to think about more than just yourself._ He _was_ thinking about more than just himself, and it was horrifying. How was he supposed to say no to what Daejung had asked him? The world was in ruins because of the demon. Baekhyun owed it to his friends to do this. He owed Onew. He needed to do this.

 

      The thought of dying was something he couldn't wrap his mind around. He'd always been afraid of ceasing to exist, be it through battle or natural causes. Everything would just end after all. He would never get to finish high school. He would never get to be with the others again. He would never get to see Kris again. Would he be able to go through with it? He didn't want to die.

 

      A voice called out to Baekhyun in the distance and he immediately put his hand over his mouth, forcing himself to be quiet. It was Kris. Baekhyun's heart was pounding as he listened to Kris call out for him, his voice getting louder and quieter as he moved throughout the library. He waited until Kris's voice was completely gone before letting out a sigh and leaning his head against the wall.

 

      He really wanted Kris to hold him right now. Would Baekhyun be able to face him without letting the note slip though? He would just have to steer Kris away from asking about what he'd gone to get. No one could know, especially not Kris.

 

      He got to his feet and left the study, closing the wall again so the dagger and note were completely hidden. After that, he ran out of the library, looking for Kris. He was grateful everyone else seemed to have gone back to their rooms already. He didn't think he could stomach seeing anyone else, especially Lay. He finally found Kris walking through the hallway, looking around nervously. He ran forward and wrapped his arms Kris's waist, shoving his face into his back and breaking down crying again.

      “Baekhyun...I've been looking all over for you!”

 

      He turned around and Baekhyun clung to him, shoving his face into his chest. As Kris wrapped his arms around him, Baekhyun felt himself breaking down all over again. How was he supposed to leave this behind? How was he supposed to just accept death so easily? He couldn't do it. He wailed into Kris's chest and gripped at his shirt. He just wanted to be held like this and not have to think about anything else. He was just a kid, not a hero.

      “You're ok,” Kris soothed, rubbing his back and resting his chin on his head. Baekhyun only cried harder. “It's alright, just cry. Let's go back to our room, ok?”

 

      Kris walked awkwardly with Baekhyun still clinging to him. Climbing the stairs up to their room was probably the most challenging thing. Baekhyun hadn't stopped crying though, and that worried Kris. Whatever Lay had said to him, it really upset him. He'd be sure to have a nice long chat with Lay later, but for now taking care of Baekhyun was his main priority.

 

      Kris stood there, holding Baekhyun as he cried for what felt like hours. Even as they laid down to sleep, Baekhyun was still crying softly on his chest. It wasn't until Baekhyun had completely passed out from exhaustion that he finally stopped. Kris kissed his forehead and ran his hand through his hair. Whatever Baekhyun just went through, it must have been terrifying, and Lay probably didn't help. He didn't snap often, but when he did, he was really intense. Even if Lay was angry, it didn't give him the right to reduce Baekhyun to this state. Kris was honestly having to force himself not to storm to Lay's room and yell at him, but he didn't want Baekhyun to wake up while he was gone and panic.

 

      Kris sighed and tried to close his eyes, snuggling Baekhyun close. The latter was going to feel awful tomorrow with how much he'd cried. Kris just wished they could stop going through hell just to survive. None of them had ever wanted to be guardians. Baekhyun had already been through so much, Kris didn't want him to suffer anymore. He wanted to protect him, but on his own he was powerless. They needed to stick together to get through this.

      “You'll be ok,” Kris whispered against Baekhyun's forehead. “You're safe now.”

 

      He felt Baekhyun sleepily snuggle closer and heard him sigh, and he couldn't help but smile. He loved Baekhyun so much. They would all find a way to overcome this. Kris just had to believe that, for both his sake and Baekhyun's.


	37. Chapter 37

      Sehun had pulled Suho back to their room immediately after Onew had returned. They hadn't left their room since then, but Sehun had a feeling Lay had long since finished up since everything in the library had returned to silence. Sehun glanced over at Suho nervously.

 

      The boy had let Sehun push him down onto the bed, where he had hugged his knees too his chest and stared ahead blankly for who knows how many hours. When Sehun called out to him, he didn't even respond. He needed to do something, but he had no clue what. Suho had pretty much shut everything and everyone out.

 

      Sehun sat down on the bed in front of him, and cupped Suho's cheeks. The latter jumped slightly and his eyes finally moved to focus on Sehun's.

      “Hey,” Sehun whispered, running his thumb along his cheek. “Are you ok?”

      “He hurt someone else...” Suho whimpered, looking down. “This is my fault...”

      “Joonmyun, it's not! Onew is fine. Lay healed him. Myungki hurt him, not you.”

      “But he did it because Onew was with the guardians. Myungki is after me...After us...”

 

      Sehun pulled Joonmyun's head to his chest, running his hands through the boy's hair. He felt tears soak into the front of his shirt and gradually, Suho lowered his legs and wrapped his arms around Sehun instead.

      “I'm so scared,” Suho mumbled into Sehun's shirt. “He's going to hurt more people...He'll hurt you.”

      “Shh,” Sehun soothed. “He won't. I won't let him.”

      “You're important to me...He goes after everyone that's important to me. I can't lose you...”

      “I'm right here. You won't lose me. I'll be right by your side.” Suho pressed closer and Sehun sighed, lifting his chin so they were looking at each other again. “Listen to me, I'm serious. We're both going to be ok. Onew is alive. He won't take anyone else, I promise.”

 

      Suho nodded and Sehun pressed him close again. They stayed like that for a while until eventually Sehun pulled Suho into a laying position. He was exhausted and wanted nothing more than to sleep, but he doubted that Suho would be able to sleep in this condition. He glanced down, and sure enough, Suho was still staring straight ahead, this time at his chest. Sehun sighed and thought of an idea.

      “Kiss me,” he said suddenly. Suho looked up at him in confusion.

      “What?”

      “Kiss me,” Sehun repeated. He stuck his lips out in a pout when Suho remained still. “Don't think about anything right now, just kiss me.”

 

      Suho sighed and leaned forward, pressing their lips together. Sehun hummed into the kiss and returned it a bit more animatedly than Suho had initially given, but he quickly matched his pace. Sehun wasn't sure how much time went by of them exchanging both chaste kisses and more hungry, needy ones. When Suho finally broke away, he was short of breath and his lips were glistening. Sehun couldn't help but giggle at how disheveled he looked.

      “Feel better?”

      “A little bit...” Suho muttered, eyes still wide. Sehun smirked and snuggled closer.

      “Whenever you start thinking about it, kiss me. I don't care if I'm asleep. Even the smallest thought, I want you to hold me and kiss me, ok?”

      “A-Alright...” Suho agreed, flushing at the thought.

 

      Sehun nodded and finally closed his eyes to sleep. He doubted it would stop the nightmares, but he didn't want Suho up all night dwelling on it instead. If Sehun could be a distraction for him, he would gladly lose sleep over it. He didn't mind getting kissed all night either. Sehun felt soft lips peck the corner of his mouth and he opened his eyes, staring in disbelief at Suho.

      “Already?”

      “That was for good measure,” Suho whispered, smiling sheepishly at Sehun. The younger laughed and cuddled closer.

      “I love you, Joonmyun.”

      “I love you too, Sehun...Thank you.”

 

      Sehun nodded and let out a yawn. He was really exhausted. He was actually a little afraid of what the following day would bring. He hadn't stuck around to see how bad everyone's injuries were, but Onew was pretty banged up. Whatever Baekhyun had gone to get better have been worth it. If it was, they might actually have some way to stop the demon too. The thought of facing her again was enough to terrify Sehun. Thinking about it now wouldn't help him though. He needed to take his own advice and get some rest. The battle could wait just one more night.

 

~*~

      Taemin laid beside Onew, watching his chest raise and fall as he slept peacefully. They'd taken his bloody shirt off in favor of a clean one that Chungho had hanging around, but Taemin couldn't take his eyes off the empty sleeve. Onew had actually gotten hurt. His arm was really gone. It hadn't even happened to Taemin, but he was still traumatized and heartbroken. What would Onew think when he woke up?

 

      Taemin was going to get the answer to that question much sooner than he was prepared to. Onew groaned and stirred slightly, raising his remaining arm to his face and draping his hand over his eyes. After another moment, he let his arm fall and turned his head to look at Taemin.

      “Jinki...” Taemin started nervously.

      “Are we ok?”

      “Y-Yeah...We're back at the library...Everyone made it out...”

      “Thank God,” Onew sighed. His eyes went wide suddenly and he reached for his shoulder, where there was no longer an arm connected.

      “Jinki, listen...”

      “It's really gone...”

      “Lay couldn't...Your arm was gone so he could only...”

 

      Onew let out a shaky breath and ran his fingers along the healed flesh of his shoulder. It was a strange feeling. In Onew's mind, it still felt like he was supposed to have an arm there, so the emptiness was disorienting. He felt Taemin place his hand on top of his own.

      “Are you ok?” He asked gently.

      “Y-Yeah...This is just...going to take some getting used to...”

      “It'll be ok,” Taemin soothed. “I'm so sorry this happened to you.”

      “There was nothing that you could have done. I'm just glad I'm still alive...”

      “Me too...”

 

      Taemin slid closer to Onew and rested his head tenderly on Onew's barren shoulder. It didn't seem to hurt him, so Taemin was thankful for that. He laced their fingers together and rested their hands on Onew's chest. He was just starting to doze off when Onew finally spoke up again.

      “Did Baekhyun find the dagger?”

      “I don't know...I left before I could really say anything to him. I was taking you back to our room...”

      “I see. I hope he found it.”

      “Yeah...”

 

      The dagger was honestly the last of Taemin's worries right now. He knew it was important and that they all risked their lives to get it, but right now, he just wanted to hold Onew and sleep. He was tired and that whole experience would probably take months for him to get over. He couldn't imagine what it must be like being a guardian and being forced into those kinds of situations on a daily basis. He and Onew really were lucky to still be alive through all of this.

 

      Taemin glanced up and watched as Onew's eyelids slowly drooped shut. He was probably still really worn out from the injury. It would be a challenge for him to get used to as well. Taemin already knew that. He would be with him every step of the way though. He could only hope that the terror would be ending soon. He let his own eyes fall shut, sleeping a little easier now that Onew had woken up briefly.

 

~*~

      Kris woke up with a groan to the sound of someone knocking on the door. He opened his eyes and glanced up, just in time to see Lay open the door timidly. The healer looked almost like a child who was in trouble mixed with a concerned parent. He immediately noticed that Baekhyun was still asleep in Kris's arms, so he kept his voice low.

      “The guardians got together and made breakfast...Just wanted to let you know...”

      “Alright. I'll come when Baekhyun wakes up...”

 

      Lay nodded and shut the door quietly. Kris let out a sigh and glanced down at Baekhyun. His eyes were puffy and red from how much crying he did, and the dark bags underneath them really didn't complement. Kris jumped when Baekhyun let out a groan and forced his eyes open. He stared up at Kris in a daze.

      “Hey...” The taller mumbled. “Are you ok? Do you want to sleep more?” Baekhyun nodded. “Alright. I'm going to go set some breakfast aside for us, then I'll be right back. Go ahead and go back to sleep, ok?”

 

      He placed a kiss on Baekhyun's forehead then slid out from under the covers. Baekhyun watched lifelessly as he exited the room. His emotional breakdown had left him feeling far more tired than the day before. He felt empty inside, like there was nothing left to feel, yet the tears were already making their way back to his eyes.

 

      He still couldn't think of the note and what Daejung had asked him. Doing so would just make him cry once more. All he wanted was for Kris to hold him and tell him everything would be ok, even though he knew that was a lie. He didn't want to spend the following days cooped up in the library alone, researching the final steps to stopping the demon for good, but he knew he had no choice. Today would be his last day to feel like this, then he would force himself to work alone and in silence.

 

      He sighed and pushed himself up to a sitting position. He knew Kris had gone to get them breakfast, but he really didn't feel like being alone, even for a couple minutes. He'd rather get up and go with him. When he stood up, his head felt like it was pounding. He'd managed to cry himself into a massive headache. He groaned and held his head, walking over to the door and leaving.

 

      Kris had ran ahead to catch up to Lay. He still hadn't even heard what he fought with Baekhyun about, but he would be damned if Lay didn't apologize. It was probably unfair of him to assume that Lay was more in the wrong, but after holding Baekhyun as he cried half the night away, Kris was a little less forgiving of his best friend. When he finally caught up to Lay, he grabbed his hand and turned him so that they were facing. Lay looked both surprised and apologetic. He must have known what Kris was going to talk to him about.

      “What happened yesterday?” Kris asked. Lay looked away. “He was up half the night crying, Lay...What did you say to him?”  
      “He was...?” Lay asked, looking even more miserable than before. He obviously regretted whatever he did, but Kris wanted to hear it and he wanted Lay to apologize.

      “He cried himself to sleep. So what did you say to him?”

      “I...I got angry at him because Onew got hurt. On that front, I don't feel bad. I still think those two shouldn't have gone, but supposedly they helped Baekhyun.”

      “Alright...Then what?”

      “I said some really nasty mean things to Baekhyun...and he stormed off...” Lay mumbled weakly. Kris sighed.

      “Will you apologize to him later? I know he didn't make the wisest decision, but...”

      “I will,” Lay said in a heartbeat. “I regretted saying it the instant it came out of my mouth. I'm sorry to you too...”

 

      Kris nodded in defeat. Lay hadn't told him what had been said, but Kris wasn't sure he wanted to know. Just then, they heard another pair of footsteps in the hall and turned to find a very tired looking Baekhyun, holding his head with one hand. He looked between the two of them with wide, puffy eyes.

      “B-Breakfast...” He mumbled shyly. “I was really hungry so I decided to just get up and come eat...” Lay took a couple steps towards him and grabbed the hand that was still at his side.

      “Baekhyun, about yesterday...I'm so sorry. I said too much.” The other boy shook his head.

      “You made valid points. I'm sorry for doing something so stupid. It won't happen again.”

      “That doesn't change the fact that I tore into you. I went way overboard and I'm so, so sorry...” Baekhyun nodded tiredly, not really wanting to have this conversation right now.

      “It's ok...”

 

      Kris must have sensed that Baekhyun was uncomfortable, because he walked over and wrapped a hand around his waist, snuggling him close. He smiled gently between the 2 of them then pointed awkwardly in the direction of the dining hall.

      “I think you've made up, right? We're all tired and hungry, so let's go eat, ok?” Kris urged. Lay nodded slowly, letting go of Baekhyun's hand.

      “Yeah...Good idea,” he agreed.

 

      Baekhyun let himself be pulled along by Kris as he followed Lay to the dining hall. He wasn't really upset with Lay, but he couldn't stop thinking about the point he'd made. Baekhyun didn't want to think anymore. He wanted to curl up and hide instead. Seeing everyone's faces at breakfast though, Baekhyun knew he had to go through with it. For them.

 

      The sinking feeling in his gut only grew worse with the presence of food, and no matter how he tried to force it, the smile on his face didn't reach his ears. He could barely pretend to be unaffected by everything, let alone happy, but he had to try. He wanted the last of his time with his friends to be happy. He could feel scared and alone later. At least for now, he was still alive.


	38. Chapter 38

      The hardest thing for Baekhyun was facing Taemin and Onew. The latter hardly left his room, still tired from the attack, so Taemin mostly brought food there and took care of him. The few times they had crossed paths, Baekhyun hadn't had the nerve to look at Taemin, and the other hadn't really confronted him either. At least, he didn't until a few mornings later. Baekhyun was about to leave the dining hall and head to the library to do research when Taemin grabbed his arm, pulling him back in the room.

      “What's up?” Baekhyun asked with feigned calmness.

      “Onew and I never really heard if you got the dagger or not...We were worried.”

      “I got it,” Baekhyun stated simply. “I'm working out a couple last minute things, but it's fine. You don't need to worry.”

      “Do you need help?”

      “No.” The answer was a bit too fast and Taemin raised his eyebrows in response. “I got this part. You two just rest...You deserve it.”

      “Are you going to be ok on your own though?”

      “I'll be fine,” Baekhyun sighed. It was a lie, but it had to become the truth. “The rest is easy from here, just looking up a couple things, that's all. I really don't need anyone's help. Besides...” He bit his lip and looked away. “You don't really want to help me anymore, right? After everything that happened with Onew.”

 

      Taemin opened his mouth to protest, but the words were caught in his throat. It was true. The attack had scared both of them to the point where they were afraid to contribute further, but they knew they needed to at least try if Baekhyun needed help.

      “It's alright, really,” Baekhyun reassured, pulling his hand away from Taemin. “I'll take care of everything from here on out. Thank you for everything you've done.”

 

      Baekhyun quickly left the room, leaving Taemin alone feeling guilty. He wasn't an idiot. He could tell Baekhyun was really upset as well, but there was nothing he could do if the other wouldn't let them help. Taemin couldn't shake the bad feeling he had in his gut. It felt wrong to let Baekhyun do this on his own.

 

~*~

      Taking care of Onew proved to be extremely hard for Taemin. It wasn't like Onew was making it hard. In fact, he was trying his hardest to still take care of himself, only relying on Taemin when he needed an extra hand. The hardest part was just seeing Onew in this state. Taemin knew he was still traumatized and broken up about his arm and what had happened, but Taemin had never really been good with words and consoling someone, so he had no clue how to help even the person he loved.

 

      So rather than trying to use words, Taemin consoled him physically. Every time he could see Onew was struggling inside, he would hug him and hold him until he could feel the tension seep from his body. In the evenings when they were alone in their room, Taemin would kiss Onew until he fell asleep, hoping that it would give him good dreams. It only worked about half the time. During the times when Onew woke up in the middle of the night, Taemin would always hold him as he calmed down, until he eventually fell asleep again.

 

      Taemin had gotten so used to this routine, that evening kisses started to turn into evening touches. Onew had a habit of pressing Taemin flush against his own body, so every small movement sent jolts of electricity through both of them. It never got overly intimate, but neither of them ever pulled away, so Taemin started to wonder if it would go further on its own.

 

      One night following his bath, Taemin decided to try something. He made sure he was alone, then began stretching himself, using one of the body oils he found in the bath. It was embarrassing and awkward, but this was probably the most convenient time to do so. Afterward, he got dressed and headed back to his and Onew's room. As they were kissing that evening, Taemin straddling Onew's thighs, he decided to roll his hips. He felt Onew gasp into his mouth, but he still pressed him closer.

 

      As Taemin continued to roll his hips, he managed to pull Onew's shirt over his head. The other was a bit hesitant, his scarred shoulder now bare for Taemin to see. The latter simply placed kiss after kiss on it, wrapping his arms around Onew's torso. When things felt like they were going to get even more heated, Onew finally pulled away, looking down with flushed cheeks.

      “We should stop...”

      “Why?” Taemin asked bluntly.

      “You aren't ready.”

      “Jinki, not to alarm you, but I am ready, both emotionally and physically...I, uh, prepped myself in the shower...”

      “O-Oh...So then, you want this?”

      “Yes...Do you?” Taemin asked nervously. Onew was silent for a moment.

      “Do you pity me?”

      “What?” That was not the question he was expecting.

      “I don't want you to do this because you're worried about me or feel sorry for me...That's all...”

      “Jinki, I want this because I love you and I want to have sex.” There went the blunt words again. Onew nodded slowly. “Do you want to have sex with me?” Taemin asked.

 

      Onew nodded shyly and Taemin smiled, rolling his hips once more to tease him a bit. Gradually, Taemin's pants and underwear were discarded and Onew's were pulled most of the way down his legs. He was sitting on the edge of the bed and neither of them really wanted to waste time trying to untangle his feet from his jeans. Taemin didn't waste much more time before lowering himself onto Onew, letting out a shaky breath.

 

      He knew there was a lot more that they could be doing like foreplay and romantic actions, but he didn't want to complicate things. He just wanted to make Onew feel good and loved, and with that, he set to work with his hips once more. Onew recaptured his lips and tried his best to move in time with Taemin.

 

      It was an odd feeling, different from what Taemin had expected. He was no stranger to pleasing himself, but he'd never gone all the way with anyone. Truthfully, it did hurt a little and feel uncomfortable and strange, but as he got the hang of it, it started to feel overwhelmingly good. Onew seemed to be enjoying it as well, sometimes biting gently at Taemin's neck and shoulder or pressing his hips down with his hand.

 

      Taemin's hand found its way to Onew's barren shoulder, which caused the latter to jump. Taemin didn't let go though. Instead, he ran his hand over the healed, scarred flesh, pressing his lips to every inch of it. He knew it would always be a source of depression for Onew, but he wanted to let him know that he loved him just the way he was. He would always love Onew like this.

 

      Passion blended with inexperience, making the overall sensation confusing but pleasant. Onew had to admire Taemin's zeal as he went at it, leading for the most part. It was as if any shyness between them had rapidly gone out the window, but Onew felt safe and at home with Taemin, something he hadn't felt in months. He didn't want this to end. Thankfully, Taemin took good care of that.

 

~*~

      Baekhyun sighed as he skimmed through another book with no luck. He'd been reading books all day. Kris had come to get him for meals and when it was time to sleep, but Baekhyun had left once the other had passed out to continue his search. Taemin and Onew were definitely better at this sort of thing than he was, but there was no way he was going to ask them for help. He wouldn't ask anyone for help. No one could know what Baekhyun was about to do. He didn't have the heart to explain it to them, and he wouldn't be able to argue well if they tried to stop him.

 

      Of course, his luck didn't seem to be ample as of late, and Jongin of all people noticed the lights still on in the library. He'd gone to the bathroom half asleep and popped in to check on who was inside. Baekhyun could tell Jongin's sleepy eyes were hardly adjusted to the light. It almost seemed like Jongin would leave without a word or question, but then the boy waddled over to Baekhyun, glancing at what he was reading.

      “What are you doing?” He asked sleepily.

      “I could ask the same to you,” Baekhyun tried to singsong, but he was really delaying while trying to come up with an excuse. “I'm just reading something.”

      “Does it have to do with why we went to Daejung's hideout?” Jongin asked next. Baekhyun cursed to himself. Jongin caught on quick.

      “No, I just couldn't sleep, so I picked out some boring books to read. So far, no luck,” he laughed. Jongin pouted, not looking at all convinced.

      “You've been acting different, Baekhyun. I know you're upset and hiding something. Why won't you let us help you?”

 

      Baekhyun sighed. Nothing he said was going to convince Jongin otherwise. Should he tell him the truth? Or just give him pieces of it and hope it satisfies him? He'd start with the second option, he supposed.

      “No one can help me with what I have to do, Jongin. It's all me now. I don't want anyone else to get hurt for my sake either.”

      “Baekhyun, we're supposed to fight together. Surely there's something we can do! What are you researching? I can help!”

      “Jongin,” Baekhyun choked out, feeling tears coming. “I don't want anyone to help me. I want to do this alone...I have to.”

      “But why!? What do you have to do alone? Is this because only you can wield the dagger? We can still help you fight her, Baekhyun...”

      “It's not that, Jongin...I'm hardly worried about that.”

      “Then what is it? Please, tell me...”

      “Do you promise not to tell anyone else?”

      “I...”

      “If you can't promise that, I'm not telling you.”

      “I promise,” Jongin said reluctantly.

 

      Baekhyun sighed and got up from his seat. Jongin frowned and opened his mouth to say something, but Baekhyun held his hand up to tell him to wait. After, he pressed the brick in the wall that opened Daejung's study, and he went inside, digging out the box with the knife and the letter. He brought the letter out and held it up to Jongin.

      “Read this...”

 

      Jongin took the note hesitantly and unfolded it. Baekhyun watched as the boy's eyes scanned the page and slowly widened. All the color drained from Jongin's face and he looked like he was about to cry. Baekhyun almost wanted to laugh, but that was just bitterness eating away at him. He'd had the exact same reaction after all.

      “Baekhyun, you can't!” Jongin urged as soon as he finished. “You can't do this!”

      “What other choice do I have, Jongin!? Everyone dies if I don't! I can't just turn my back on the world...on you guys...”

      “There has to be another way,” Jongin whimpered, a tear streaking down his cheek. “This isn't fair!”

      “What? Locking her away again? Prolonging the problem until she breaks out and destroys the world and the next set of guardians have to deal with it? There's nothing else we can do, Jongin. We have to stop her, and this will do it. I'm the only one that can do this, so I have to step up, right?”

      “Baekhyun...”

 

      Jongin didn't even know what to say. Baekhyun was right that there really wasn't any other way, but he couldn't go through with this. There was so much more to Baekhyun's life than just being the light guardian. He deserved to live just like the rest of them.

      “What about Kris?”

      “I'm not going to tell him,” Baekhyun whispered. “I can't tell him. He'd never let me go through with it.”

      “And you shouldn't! Why would you keep something like this from him? Don't you think he'd want to know?”

      “I don't want him to treat me differently. I don't want him to be sad during our last days together. Ignorance is bliss, right?”

      “So you're really going through with it?”

      “I've been slowly coming to terms with it,” Baekhyun said gently, sitting back down in his seat. “I'm not happy, but I'm starting to accept it. I'm sorry it's been affecting my mood as a result.” He tried to smile again but he probably looked miserable. Jongin shook his head.

      “You shouldn't apologize. I'm more amazed that you're going to do this at all...I would never be that brave.”

      “I'm not brave. I'm a coward trying to pretend like everything's alright when it's a living nightmare. Not thinking about it and focusing on figuring out the other stuff Daejung mentioned has been the only reason I've made it this far.”

 

      Jongin frowned and glanced down at the books. Baekhyun wasn't making much progress from the looks of things. If he was actually going to go through with this, he shouldn't be spending all his time alone cooped up in a library. That was too much for Jongin to accept. He pulled out the seat next to Baekhyun and sat down.

      “Jongin? What are you doing?”

      “I know about everything now, so I can help you, right? You still shouldn't have to do this alone.”

      “Jongin...”

      “I'm not changing my mind,” the younger stated firmly, wiping another tear from his eye. “Let's do this together.”

      “Thank you...I'm sorry.”

 

      Jongin shook his head, rubbing the sleep from his eyes and opening a book. Baekhyun felt guilty for dumping all of this weight on Jongin, but for all he knew, he might have to rely on his power when it came to setting up the light dimension. Perhaps, just this one person knowing was ok. If nothing else, he was grateful for Jongin's presence beside him.


	39. Chapter 39

      Jongin and Baekhyun did most of their research at night, when wandering eyes wouldn't be on them. It was exhausting for both of them, but Baekhyun absolutely didn't want anyone else to know. During the day, Jongin usually took a nap, but Baekhyun spent most of his time stuck to Kris's side. When he really needed it, he would fall asleep cuddling the other boy, but he wanted to spend as much time as he could with him. It was going to be almost impossible to finally say goodbye to him.

 

      Finally, Jongin and Baekhyun stumbled upon a book documenting the feast days of the past. They translated the Table of Contents until they found the Festival of Light, then began working specifically on that section. It took some time, but for once, all the information they needed was neatly laid out before them.

      “It takes place on the 10th day of the 10th month,” Baekhyun muttered.

      “Wait, what day is it? Do we even have a way to check anymore? Our phones have long since died if we even managed to get them out of the school that day.”

      “My watch still works,” Baekhyun said happily, holding up his wrist. “It's digital so it has the date too. Today is the 3rd of October...”

      “Baekhyun, that means we have to perform the ceremony in a week...”

      “Yeah, you're right,” the other mumbled. It was too soon. He wasn't ready to do this.

      “We don't have much time to get the rest of this together...I think the article mentioned the location, so at least we have that...”

      “The Festival of Light was held where the Tree of Life stood, where the light was strongest,” Baekhyun read. “We know well where that place is,” he grumbled.

      “Do you think we need to be where the roots were or where the tree itself was?”

      “I doubt the festival we held underground. That sanctum didn't come about until after the tree was split anyways, so I think so long as we're above or around that sanctum, we'll be fine.”

      “Alright...So what's next?”

      “Figuring out how to make the light dimension,” Baekhyun sighed.

      “Do you think Daejung has any notes in his study about it? I mean, he _was_ the light guardian, so I'm sure he knew how to do it...”

      “It's worth a try...Hopefully we won't have to go back to his hideout...again...”

 

      Baekhyun opened the corridor and they headed into the small study. It was becoming Baekhyun's own personal study with how often he was using it these days. The scanned the shelves for any book that might help, then began scanning through the mountains of notes that Daejung had lying around his room. Finally, Baekhyun found something Daejung had written on the subject.

 

      He tugged Jongin back into the main part of the library and they set away at tirelessly translating the notes. Unfortunately, a lot of it went over their heads, but finally, Daejung did leave directions specifically outlining how to create a light dimension. Baekhyun was stuck wanting to laugh and also wanting to cry. Was it allowed to be this simple to find everything they needed?

      “We have everything we need now,” Jongin stated in disbelief. “This is the most prepared I think we've ever been...”

      “There's still a few more things we have to figure out,” Baekhyun sighed.

      “What?”

      “How to get the demon there...How we'll get her into the dimension...”

      “We'll talk to the others about it.”

      “Jongin-”

      “We won't mention what you have to do...Just that we need to get the demon to the place where Daejung's hideout is. We won't mention anything about what the knife will do to you...Just that you need to have her there in order to deal with her. The other guardians will have to help us, Baekhyun. Otherwise, we don't stand a chance.”

      “Alright...”

      “For now, we're both exhausted. I know you've been sleeping even less than me, so go to bed, alright?”

      “Yeah...” Baekhyun said absentmindedly. He couldn't really focus on much other than his impending doom.

 

      Jongin gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze and headed back to his room. He was way too tired to even think about how they would get the demon where she needed to be. All he knew was that everything would end in exactly a week, and Jongin wasn't sure he was happy about that.

 

      When he got back to his room, he gently curled up against Chanyeol, trying not to stir the other. Unfortunately, Chanyeol rolled over with a groan and opened his eyes, staring at Jongin with tired, but worried eyes.

      “Why are you getting back into bed? Where did you go?” He asked, voice heavy with sleep.

      “Bathroom,” Jongin lied.

 

      Chanyeol gave him a skeptical look but let it go nonetheless. He wrapped his arm around Jongin and snuggled him closer, letting out a sleepy sigh and closing his eyes again. Jongin let out a sad sigh and cuddled against him. It was hard keeping this from everyone. He could only imagine how Baekhyun was feeling now.

 

~*~

      The following morning, Baekhyun and Jongin exchanged glances with each other throughout breakfast. Baekhyun looked like he'd slept like absolute crap, and frankly Jongin didn't look any better. Even though they had all the information they needed, the reality of the situation was weighing down on both of them. Neither of them really knew how to get the others involved with the plan either. Talking about it was so hard, and omitting unwanted information was going to need to be done skillfully.

 

      Finally, as everyone was finishing up their meals, Jongin let out a sigh and looked at Baekhyun with a questioning look, wanting to be the one to start the discussion. Baekhyun grimaced and nodded slightly, and Jongin took a deep breath before gathering the courage to speak.

      “We need to talk about something,” Jongin mumbled. His voice seemed to carry with how silent the room became. All eyes were on him. “It's about fighting the demon...”

      “Does this have to do with the knife that Baekhyun got?” Chanyeol asked, glancing over at the light guardian. “Do you know how to use that thing?”

      “Yeah...It comes naturally to me,” Baekhyun half-lied. He didn't want to mention that Daejung had also left intricate instructions and a warning about his death.

      “So what happens next?” Chanyeol asked.

      “That's what we need to talk about,” Jongin said gently. “We need to get the demon to the place where the Tree of Life was.”

      “Why? How do you know that?”

      “The dagger came with a small not with instructions,” Baekhyun explained, keeping it vague. “It works best when used on the Festival of Light. Jongin and I did some digging, and that's in about a week and took place where the Tree of Life was. So putting 2 and 2 together, we figured that would be the best time to use the knife.”

      “How the hell are we going to get the demon there though?” Luhan asked skeptically. “We don't even know where she is now...”

 

      Baekhyun sat silently, biting his lip. Luhan was right. They had no way of getting into contact with the demon or even knowing if she was still in Korea or not. He honestly doubted it with how quiet everything had been. Taemin let out a shaky sigh before finally speaking up.

      “I hate to even suggest this...But what if you acted as bait?”

      “What?” Baekhyun asked, eyes wide.

      “When we went to Daejung's hideout, Myungki found us almost immediately. Even if the goddess isn't paying attention, Myungki is. Maybe if you guys stir up enough of a fuss, she'll notice and come back.”

      “That's too risky,” Baekhyun argued. “We don't need Myungki. He would make things even worse.”

      “I agree,” Suho muttered, nervously reaching for Sehun's hand under the table.

      “It's the best plan we have though,” Onew sighed. “Taemin's right. Myungki tends to leave a pretty big impression. With how strong the goddess is, I'm sure she'd be able to notice if he started using his power and fighting you guys. Whether or not she'd come would be another thing...but this is all we can do unless you find a demon summoning spell, but I don't think that would even work on her since she was once a goddess. She's in a league of her own.”

      “But what if she doesn't come?” Baekhyun asked. “We'd be stuck fighting Myungki, and we would lose our chance to do it on the Festival of Light.”

      “We could take Myungki down,” Kyungsoo said, surprisingly confident. “With all of us, I know we could handle him.”

      “What about the horde of beasts he'd bring along?” Baekhyun asked bitterly.

      “We're not going to be able to do this without fighting a battle,” Jongdae said quietly. “We all know that, and we're prepared. If you think you can defeat her, Baekhyun, then we'll stand by you and do what we can to help.”

      “I can...” Baekhyun whispered.

      “Then we'll give this a try,” Lay stated this time. Baekhyun nodded slowly.

      “Thank you...” He humbled.

 

      The atmosphere was heavy, and Baekhyun didn't think he would be able to stomach much more of his breakfast. He hated the idea of throwing everyone into danger for potentially no result, but he didn't know what else to do. There was only so much he could do to protect everyone. Despite knowing that everything rested on his shoulders, Baekhyun felt completely powerless. As he sat on it more though, he wondered if perhaps the light dimension could draw her in as well. After all, light and darkness were connected. Between a raging battle and a massive appearance of light, surely she'd have to take the bait, right?

 

      As they were leaving the room, Baekhyun felt someone tug on his wrist. He turned around to see none other than Kris, looking down at him worriedly. The taller pulled him close, wrapping his arms around Baekhyun's waist.

      “Are you ok?” He asked gently. Baekhyun smiled and nodded.

      “Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?”

      “Because you haven't been ok since you went to Daejung's hideout and got the knife. I know you better than you realize Baekhyun. What's wrong?”

      “I'm just really scared and tired, that's all.” It wasn't a lie. Kris hugged him closer.

      “We'll pull through this somehow,” Kris soothed. “Trust all of us, ok?”

      “I do trust you,” Baekhyun whispered. He wouldn't pull through this though. “Kris, will you stay with me?”

      “Hm?”

      “I really don't want to be alone today. Will you stay with me and hold me like this?”

      “Of course.”

 

      Kris held him tighter and pressed a kiss into the top of his head. After that, he kept one arm wrapped around Baekhyun's waist and lead them back to their room, since even Kris could tell that Baekhyun was still exhausted and needed more sleep. As they were walking, Baekhyun and Jongin spotted each other and exchanged sad glances. Baekhyun closed his eyes and willed the tears away. One week left.

 

~*~

      Even though Jongin wasn't going to be the one dealing with the demon in the end, he couldn't settle his nerves down. He would still have to help Baekhyun get her into the light dimension, and after that, he would have to watch Baekhyun give his life in order to purify her. He wasn't sure he was mentally strong enough to handle that, but there was no one else who could help Baekhyun. He had to do this with the other boy, even if it broke him in the process.

 

      When it was late at night and Jongin was sure Chanyeol was asleep, pressed warmly against him, Jongin finally let the emotions seep from his body. His shoulders shook as he sobbed silently into Chanyeol's back. He didn't want to do this. He didn't want to watch his friend die. He wanted there to be another way.

 

      He gasped when Chanyeol suddenly rolled over to face him. A warm arm wrapped around his body and pulled him closer. Soon, two worried eyes were looking down at him.

      “Jongin...What's wrong? Why are you crying?”

      “I...”

      “Are you scared?”

      “Yes...Unbelievably scared...”

      “It's gonna be ok,” Chanyeol soothed. “I'll protect you, and Baekhyun will get rid of the demon with our help, alright? We're gonna live and see better days, Jongin. I promise.”

 

      Jongin nodded lifelessly. They might see better days, but Baekhyun wouldn't. Jongin would never be able to accept that. Tears dripped down his cheeks once more and he pressed his face into Chanyeol's chest. His tears didn't stop for some time, but Chanyeol stayed awake, rubbing his back and whispering soothing words. They didn't really help Jongin's outlook on the situation, but they eventually managed to calm him down until he fell asleep. It took Chanyeol even longer to get back to sleep after that. He was much too worried about Jongin.

 

~*~

      Baekhyun sat in a chair beside Chungho's bed, knees tucked to his chest. Kris had fallen asleep, but Baekhyun couldn't bring himself to close his eyes, so he went to visit the old man instead. Chungho's condition had remained unchanged, no matter what Lay did to try to help him. Baekhyun really wished he would wake up though. He needed Chungho to tell him there was another way, or that he could do this without dying.

 

      The tears seemed to roll down Baekhyun's cheeks without stopping, though he'd sworn to himself that he would stop crying for the rest of the week. He didn't want to spend his last days being depressed, as hard as it was to find happiness. He would be happy with Kris and make sure to make the time memorable, for both their sakes.

      “I miss you, Chungho...” He whimpered. “I really need you right now...I'm so scared and I feel like I'm all alone. If you were here, you'd be able to help me, I'm sure...Please wake up...Please tell me everything's going to be ok. Tell me there's another way...”

 

      He dropped his head to his knees in defeat, letting his sobs come out a little louder than before. He knew Chungho wouldn't respond, but he was dying for him to.

      “I don't want to do this...” He cried. “I don't want to die...”


	40. Chapter 40

      Baekhyun had never felt more clingy in his life before. No matter how close he was to Kris, it never felt like it was enough. He worried that he might be smothering the other and that Kris would get sick of it, but perhaps that would be for the best. At least Kris would push him away of his own will then.

 

      To Baekhyun's surprise, however, Kris was completely fine with it. He held Baekhyun tightly, sometimes even pulling him into his lap so that there was no distance between them. Any time Baekhyun clung to him or demanded affection and attention, Kris gave it to him. He worried that Kris had figured everything out, but when he asked why Kris was being so giving, he simply said he loved him and knew he was scared and going through a rough time. That only made hiding everything from Kris even harder to bear. Baekhyun didn't want to leave him. This was so cruel.

 

      The day of the battle was nearing faster than Baekhyun could have ever been prepared for. There were still so many things he wanted to do with Kris, with everyone. He'd distanced himself from most of the group with the exception of Jongin. The young teleporter wouldn't let Baekhyun distance himself. Instead, they exchanged knowing glances and Jongin usually checked up on Baekhyun at the end of the day to hear what he'd done off the small bucket list he'd quickly put together.

 

      Truthfully, Baekhyun hadn't accomplished much. There were a lot that he would just never be able to do. He wouldn't be able to go to movies or other dates with Kris. He wouldn't get to go to college, though he didn't even know what he would study if he did. He wouldn't get to meet Kris after their classes and hold hands on the way to lunch or their next classes. They were all simple, mundane things, but Baekhyun regretted that he would never get to experience them.

 

      There was one other thing he wanted, but he was too afraid to ask for it and didn't even know how to instigate such a situation. Baekhyun wanted to make love with him before he died. Part of it was probably the old, don't want to die a virgin cliché, but Baekhyun genuinely loved Kris and he wanted to experience this with him. He wasn't good with romance though, and asking something so big of Kris was scary. What if Kris wasn't ready? What if he didn't want him? What if he asked Baekhyun why he was doing this?

 

      It was eating away at Baekhyun so much he ultimately decided to just give up. He only had 2 more days with Kris, so he didn't want to spend all his time panicking. Of course, one of the down sides to being so attached to Kris was that the other could always tell when something was bothering Baekhyun. He'd done a pretty good job of hiding the death anxiety from Kris, masking it with general fear and depression, but somehow, Kris could tell Baekhyun wanted to ask him something. They had been watching the sun go down in the courtyard when Kris finally brought it up.

      “Baekhyun, are you upset about something?”

      “No,” the other sighed, snuggling closer to Kris's chest. “I'm really happy right now.” It wasn't a lie. Being like this with Kris was the only thing that made Baekhyun happy these days.

      “Then what have you been worrying about all day? I'm pretty sure you have a new wrinkle on your face from how much you've been scowling and furrowing your brows.”

 

      Baekhyun pouted and pressed his fingers to his forehead, feeling around for the aforementioned crease. Kris laughed and snuggled him closer, pressing a kiss to his hair.

      “You know you can talk to me, right? I'm here for you and I love you so much...You don't need to keep everything to yourself,” Kris continued. Baekhyun sighed.

      “It's nothing really, Yifan,” Baekhyun mumbled. He didn't sound convincing at all. “It's embarrassing...”

      “I'm not going to judge you.”

      “You might.”

      “I won't. I promise. Tell me why you're upset.”

      “I want to have sex with you,” Baekhyun muttered, his face turning bright red. “But I don't want to make you uncomfortable or push our relationship.”

      “Oh...” Kris manages.

      “Yeah, see...”

 

      Kris was silent for a while, but his grip on Baekhyun didn't loosen. Instead, he ran his hand up and down the boy's back, stopping and giving his shoulder a gentle squeeze occasionally. Baekhyun could tell Kris could feel his scars through the thin fabric of his t-shirt. He used to squirm away, not wanting Kris to feel them, but that just caused Kris to hold him tighter, so he'd quickly gotten used to the feeling. He'd always worried that Kris hated the sight of them. Maybe it was better that they didn't have sex after all. Baekhyun had way too many insecurities.

      “You really want to have sex?” Kris finally asked, surprising Baekhyun.

      “Yes...”

      “And you're not just asking this because you feel insecure?”

      “Why would I?”

      “I don't know,” Kris mumbled. “Like if you thought I didn't love you or the relationship was shaky...I just don't want you to do this unless it's completely because you're there emotionally.”

      “I want to have sex with you because I love you,” Baekhyun said gently, looking Kris in the eyes. “I'm not being insecure this time, I promise. I really, really love you, and I just want to do this with you.”

      “Ok...” Kris said shakily. There was a pause. “Do we even have everything we need?”

      “W-Wait, does that mean you'll...” Baekhyun started. Kris nodded.

      “I love you too, Baekhyun. More than I think you realize. I'm not against us having sex, I just want to make sure you're ready and we have what we need. I don't want anyone to get hurt...” Baekhyun flushed, realizing what he was referring to.

      “Chungho has some body oils in the baths that we can use...Um...I-I don't think we'll have a condom, but I don't mind if you don't...” Kris was turning a feint shade of pink now too.

      “A-Alright...What about...you know, top and bottom stuff? Which one do you want?”

      “I want you to top, if you're ok with that.”

      “What if I hurt you?” Kris asked. “I've never done this before, Baekhyun.”

      “It's ok. I'll be fine. I just want to do this with you.”

 

      Kris nodded slowly and got to his feet. Baekhyun looked up anxiously, just in time for Kris to lean over and pull him to his feet. The taller held him close and connected their lips, kissing away all of Baekhyun's anxiety until he relaxed against him. Finally, Kris pulled away with a smile.

      “Let's get ready then,” he whispered against his lips.

 

      He held Baekhyun's hand on the way back into the library, and didn't let go until after they'd gotten what they needed from the bath room and were back in there room. At that point, he set the body oil down and tugged at the hem of Baekhyun's shirt. Baekhyun let out a breath he didn't know he was holding and lifted his arms so Kris could remove the unwanted fabric. After that, Kris's arms were back around Baekhyun, pressing him closer as they kissed a bit more passionately.

 

      Baekhyun felt shivers run down his back as Kris's fingers grazed over his jagged scars, tracing each and every one as he pressed his tongue into his mouth. When they finally broke apart, Baekhyun was breathing hard and his mind was spinning. Kris was smiling so brightly and he really thought he would melt at the sight.

      “I love you,” Kris whispered. “All of you. So stop worrying.”

      “You know me so well, it's kinda scary,” Baekhyun responded, looking somewhat guilty. “My scars don't turn you off?”

      “Not at all. I don't ever want you to get hurt like that again, but nothing about your body could ever turn me off.”

 

      Baekhyun felt a huge wave of guilt wash over him, since he would be doing more than just getting hurt in a couple of days. He forced it back and reconnected their lips however, startling Kris a bit with his intensity. They slowly peeled off layers of clothes while Kris backed up towards the bed. Soon enough, Baekhyun was straddling Kris's lap while the latter nipped and sucked at the skin of Baekhyun's neck and exposed collarbone, causing him to grip at his shoulders tightly and moan.

 

      It might have been Baekhyun's own inexperience that made everything feel so intense, but Kris was doing a really good job of making him a moaning wreck, between grinding their crotches together teasingly and marking the skin of his torso. He was so overwhelmed, he hardly noticed Kris fumbling with the body oil until a slick finger lightly circled around his rim, causing him to gasp. Kris looked at him gently and kissed his lips.

      “Do you want to stop?” He asked. Baekhyun quickly shook his head.

 

      Kris nodded and resumed kissing Baekhyun, waiting a bit until he'd relaxed to slip the first digit in. Kris was extremely gentle, albeit a little clumsy and awkward. It took Baekhyun a moment to get used to the sensation, but when he had, he was easily meeting Kris's thrusts, rolling his hips in a way that caused friction and heat to build up in between his legs. It was driving both of them crazy, he could tell, but Kris waited a long time, until he knew Baekhyun was stretched and prepared, before picking the boy up and dropping him lightly down on the bed.

 

      Kris hovered in between his thighs, and Baekhyun wrapped his legs around his back, staring up at him with hooded eyes. Kris met his gaze, silently asking for permission to continue with his eyes. Baekhyun nodded and took a deep breath as he felt Kris push inside. He was slow and gentle, and while it was uncomfortable, it definitely wasn't unpleasant. Baekhyun wrapped his arms around Kris's neck and pressed him closer, kissing him fervently. He loved the feeling of the taller being practically wrapped around him.

 

      Kris moved slowly and gently, and Baekhyun felt like he would crumble with just how much care Kris was giving him. He loved Kris so much, how was he going to leave this behind? The thought alone almost brought tears to his eyes, but he pushed it away, replacing it with kiss after kiss and moans of Kris's name and how much he loved him. It was all he could do. He wasn't going to let this moment end in anything but pure joy.

 

      Baekhyun cried out as Kris thrust into him, moaning and being louder than he probably should have been. He didn't care though. He didn't want to act reserved, and he didn't think he could with how good it felt to have Kris thrusting into him and touching and kissing him at the same time. Finally, Baekhyun's body stiffened and his toes curled as a stream of white soiled their chests. Kris continued to thrust until he too found his release, groaning into Baekhyun's shoulder and biting it gently.

 

      When Kris was finally coming down from his high, he leaned away from Baekhyun, as if to pull out, but the boy quickly trapped his waist in an iron grip with his legs. The look in his eyes was desperate.

      “Wait...Please don't stop here.”

      “Are you up for more?” Kris asked worriedly. Baekhyun nodded.

      “I want more.”

 

      Kris nodded and leaned down, kissing his forehead, before starting his rhythm up again, quickly becoming hard once more. Baekhyun closed his eyes, letting passion take over his mind again. He wanted to be completely exhausted by the end of this, otherwise, he would never be able to get to sleep. His thoughts ate away at him too much.

 

      It was much later in the evening when they finally stopped. Kris had fallen asleep on Baekhyun's chest with the boy's arm's wrapped around his head, stroking his hair. Baekhyun felt tired, sore, and completely spent, but the euphoria he felt was like none other. Sex with Kris had been even better than he expected.

 

      He glanced down at the boy in his arms. Kris looked so at peace, it made Baekhyun's heart flutter. Kris really loved him. Would he forgive Baekhyun for leaving him behind? Baekhyun supposed he wouldn't have to worry about it once he was dead, but he didn't want to hurt Kris. There was no way around this though. It was the only way he could protect him, and Baekhyun loved him too much to damn Kris to living in this hell for the rest of his life. He loved all of his friends too much to do that to them. It was better this way. Everything would be ok.

 

      He leaned his head forward and pressed a kiss on the top of Kris's head. The latter sighed sleepily and wrapped his arm tighter around Baekhyun's waist, nuzzling into his chest. Baekhyun couldn't help but smile.

      “I love you,” he whispered. “No matter what happens, know that I love you and I'm glad I got to meet you. I know it's selfish to ask, but...please don't forget me.”

 

      A tear streaked down his cheek and he quickly forced back the emotions welling up in his chest. He wished he had the courage and strength to tell Kris that when he was awake, but he couldn't let anything shake his resolve. He spent the rest of the night whispering over and over how much he loved the boy, until finally, exhaustion claimed him, and he slept peacefully for the first time in a long while. It would probably be his last peaceful slumber, so he made sure to treasure it well.


	41. Chapter 41

      When the day of the battle finally arrived, none of the guardians were prepared to possibly fight to the death. They tried to eat a healthy breakfast, but most of them were so nervous, they were nauseous. Baekhyun was especially on edge, but he knew this would be his last meal, and he wanted to spend it with everyone. His mask was slowly cracking, but he forced himself not to cry all the same as he looked at each of them at the table. He was doing this for them. It would be worth it.

 

      Following breakfast, Baekhyun headed to the library and dug the dagger out of its hiding spot. He stared at it lifelessly for a moment, then turned around to head back to the others. He was only slightly surprised to see Jongin at the entrance of the library waiting for him.

      “Are you ready?” The younger asked nervously. Baekhyun nodded slowly.

      “We've prepared everything. Now it's just a matter of doing it.”

      “You're really ok with this?”

      “I am, Jongin...I am.”

 

      The young teleporter nodded sadly and began walking with Baekhyun out to the courtyard where everyone was gathering to be teleported down to the ground. Jongin would drop them off a little further away from where he and Baekhyun would set up the light dimension, mostly so no one would interrupt their work. Only Baekhyun and Jongin knew this part of the plan though.

 

      They held hands and Jongin teleported them to the field. All was quiet and the group looked around, as if trying to find some clue as to what to do next.

      “How do we summon the demon?” Sehun asked.

      “The best idea Jongin and I had is to make ourselves known,” Baekhyun explained. “That will probably alert Myungki, and if he causes a big enough mess, the demon might notice too.”

      “That's awfully circumstantial,” Lay said nervously. “You don't have a better plan?”

      “There's something else that I can do that I think will grab the demon's attention,” Baekhyun sighed. “But I still need you guys to help fight off everything else. I can only take care of the demon. Not the monsters or Myungki.”

      “Alright,” Suho agreed, voice strained slightly. “We'll do that for you. So should everyone use their powers and see if that gets Myungki's attention?”

      “Yeah, that should work,” Baekhyun stated.

 

      The guardians sent their attacks up into the sky, creating a massive pillar of fire, ice, lightning, earth, and water. The winds blew violently and various rocks were lifted into the air with telekinesis. It was quite a spectacle to behold, and Baekhyun was sure Myungki would notice it. Perhaps even the goddess would sense this. Their attacks stilled and there was a brief silence before they felt rumbling in the ground.

      “Is that you?” Jongdae asked Kyungsoo nervously. His boyfriend shook his head.

      “Something's coming,” Minseok muttered, moving closer to Luhan.

      “Everyone get ready,” Suho warned.

 

      Baekhyun stared at them with teary eyes. It was time to leave now. While the monsters were distracted, this would be his and Jongin's best chance to create the light dimension. It was painful to finally have to say goodbye. He walked over to Jongin and held his hand nervously.

      “It's time,” Baekhyun whispered. He saw Jongin's face fall and felt the hand he was holding squeeze his harder.

      “Ok,” Jongin replied. Baekhyun turned to the others who were still focused on the incoming enemies.

      “Jongin and I have to go now,” Baekhyun called to them. The group turned to look at him in shock.

      “Where!?” Chanyeol asked worriedly. Baekhyun just smiled sadly.

      “There's something that only Jongin and I can do...I'm sorry we can't help you all. Please stay safe...Thank you for everything...”

      “Baekhyun,” Kris started. “What are you going to do?” Baekhyun forced a smile on his face in an attempt to reassure his boyfriend.

      “I love you, Kris,” he said, voice faltering slightly. “Stay safe...Please.”

      “Jongin, I'm not going to let you go alone!” Chanyeol started, moving closer to them.

      “I won't be alone. I'll be with Baekhyun. I'll be back soon, Chanyeol, I promise.”

      “Goodbye,” Baekhyun whispered, his lips starting to tremble.

 

      Thankfully Jongin took that as a sign to get them out of there before Baekhyun completely broke down. Chanyeol and Kris stared in shock at the spot where the two had just been before turning to each other.

      “What was that about?” Chanyeol asked.

      “I don't know...But I have a bad feeling,” Kris mumbled.

 

      The oncoming attack wasn't nearly as worrying as Baekhyun's face before he left. Something was wrong, and Kris wasn't beside him anymore to protect him. Baekhyun was going to face the most dangerous opponent as well. All he could do was pray that Baekhyun would be safe.

 

      The rumbling grew louder and soon they were surrounded on all sides by hordes of enemies. They worked together, protecting each other and using massive attacks to blast the monsters away in large groups. As soon as they took any of the monsters down, more replaced them. It seemed to be endless. Kris would fly people up into the air to attack from the sky and get a better look at just how many monsters they were dealing with. It was horrifying to see monster coming as far as their eyes could see. Their battle wouldn't be an easy one either.

 

~*~

      When Baekhyun and Jongin landed right above where the sanctum was, Baekhyun fell to his knees, letting a few tears drip down to the grass. Jongin stood to the side, letting him cry. He couldn't tell Baekhyun to be strong, not when he was breaking down himself from fear and sadness. Finally, Baekhyun wiped his eyes and got to his feet. He turned to Jongin and smiled sadly.

      “We need to start...Do you still have our notes on the light dimension?” He asked. Jongin nodded and pulled out some folded papers from his pocket.

      “We need to draw this on the ground,” he explained, pointing to an intricate circle pattern. Baekhyun nodded and picked up a nearby stick.

      “Will you hold the paper up for me while I draw it?”

      “Yeah!”

 

      They worked in silence for a bit. Jongin watched Baekhyun copy the symbol perfectly onto the ground, making it much bigger since he had more space to draw it. Jongin couldn't shake the uncomfortable feeling in his chest, and he was sure it was even worse for Baekhyun. After all, Jongin just had to deliver the demon to Baekhyun. It was the light guardian that had the worst job in all of this.

      “Baekhyun...Are you really sure you're ok?”

      “I'm fine, Jongin. I've been resolved to do this for a long time.”

      “Alright...Are you sure the demon will show up though?”

      “She will. Even if the battle doesn't draw her out, the massive appearance of light will. After all, light and darkness are connected. As soon as we make this dimension, she'll know we're here. She'll come.”

 

      Baekhyun wasn't sure why he was so certain about this fact, but the light inside him seemed to be certain of it. Jongin just nodded slowly and let Baekhyun get back to work on drawing the insignia. When he finished, he motioned for Jongin to come over and he held his hand.

      “I think you need to be holding me when I create the dimension to be able to get in,” Baekhyun stated.

      “Right...So what now?”

      “I say that incantation we wrote down on the paper and hopefully it works.”

 

      Jongin handed him the paper and gulped nervously as Baekhyun took a deep breath and started reading. As he read, Baekhyun began to glow, and soon, the insignia on the ground had beams of light shooting out of it as well. Jongin huddled closer to Baekhyun nervously. Baekhyun's eyes began to glow as he finished the incantation, and soon everything around them was shrouded in light.

 

      When Jongin opened his eyes, they were in a virtually blank, white space that went on for what seemed like forever. The ground was giving off a yellow glow, and random beams of light shot into the sky. He looked over at Baekhyun, who seemed just as amazed by the sight.

      “Did we do it?”

      “It looks like it,” Baekhyun muttered, looking around. “Now that you've seen this place and been here, do you think you can teleport in and out?”

      “I don't know. I'll try...”

 

      Baekhyun let go and watched Jongin disappear into thin air. His heart was pounding nervously, praying the boy would be able to come back. Finally, Jongin appeared before him again with a triumphant smile on his face.

      “I did it! I went right back to where we drew the insignia! Baekhyun, we're really in another dimension!”

      “That's great!” Baekhyun patted Jongin's shoulder happily, but gradually his face fell. “You need to go back there and wait for her,” he said quietly. “You have to bring her here, Jongin...”

      “I know,” the younger replied nervously.

      “Be careful. Don't let her hurt you.”

      “I'll try...I'll be back soon, ok?”

 

      Baekhyun nodded and watched Jongin disappear once more. He sighed and pulled the dagger out, holding it up to look at it. Everything would end as soon as Jongin returned. Baekhyun was absolutely terrified.

 

~*~

      The battle raged on. The group no longer had time to worry about where Baekhyun and Jongin had flitted off to. Instead they were just trying to stay alive and not drift too far from each other. Unfortunately, most of them had lost sight of anyone nearby as the battle became further spread out. They could still sense each other's powers though.

 

      Suho had just sent a wave of water out, knocking several wolves off their course towards him when he heard the familiar, spine-chilling laugh. He span around and was faced with Myungki, looking highly amused.

      “Well, well...You guardians never learn your lesson, do you?” The man said darkly. Suho sent a whip of water lashing out at the man, who dodged easily. “That's no way to greet an old friend.”

      “You're disgusting,” Suho hissed. Myungki simply laughed in response.

      “Perhaps I shouldn't have killed your parents. They might have taught you some manners. Such a shame.”

      “SHUT UP!”

      “And even after I tore your little friend's arm off, you still have the nerve to try and face me? You really are foolish little brats.” He took a menacing step towards Suho, who backed away in response, arms still ready to attack. “You know, the most satisfying thing is hearing people scream as I tear them to shreds. Your friend's cry was particularly lovely...”

      “You bastard...”

      “Will I finally hear your scream? I don't care if you run or fight. I enjoy the chase.”

      “Let's finish this, Myungki...”

      “Yes. It's high time I killed you.”

      “We'll see who dies,” Suho growled.

 

      Myungki let out a dark cackle and began trying to grip at Suho's limbs. The guardian always managed to break from his grasp, even if it meant tearing his own skin as he overpowered the magic. He would then retaliate with a blast of water. Myungki easily avoided it, but this game of dodging shots was quickly getting boring.

 

      Myungki got a tighter grip on Suho's leg, attempting to rip it off. Suho sent a blast of water at him, distracting him enough to loosen his grip. Suho jerked away, but Myungki still had a hold of his flesh on his calf, and a chunk was torn from Suho's leg as he moved. He cried out in pain and limped, putting his balance on his other leg. This was bad. If he couldn't move quickly, there would be no way he could fight Myungki. The pain in his leg was excruciating. He needed to quickly think up a better plan for how to fight the man in front of him.

 

      He closed his eyes, trying to gauge his surroundings. That was when he sensed a large body of water not too far from where they were. Was it a lake or a reservoir? If he could get to that area, he would be far more in his own element and at an advantage. With his injured leg though, there was no way he could make it on his own, especially with Myungki still actively attacking him.

      “Giving up so soon?” The other man sneered.

 

      Suho tried to take a step, but he fell to the ground as he put weight on his leg. He was losing a lot of blood and he would need to be healed soon, but he had to get away first. He looked around at his surroundings, trying to find any guardians he could call for help or ways he could escape. His eyes widened when he saw a wolf charging at him in the distance. It must have smelled his blood and come to finish off easy prey. Perhaps Suho could use that for his advantage. He glanced back to Myungki and was horrified to find the man standing directly in front of him.

      “Really, I thought you would be more of a challenge than this. What a disappointment,” Myungki sighed.

 

      Suho glanced to the wolf once more and scooted back to make sure he was still on its path. After that, he smirked up at Myungki.

      “You haven't won yet!”

 

      He controlled some of the blood from his leg and sent it flying at Myungki's eyes, blinding him temporarily. The man growled and rubbed at his eyes, trying to clear them. Suho took that opportunity to hop onto his good foot and wait for the wolf. As it collided with him, it sunk its teeth into his side, causing him to wince. He grabbed onto the scruff of its neck with all his might, and used a whip of water to smack it into movement. As they ran away, Suho used his water whips to steer the wolf straight towards the reservoir and away from Myungki.

 

      Finally, Myungki looked around, his eyes watering in an attempt to cleanse themselves. He yelled in frustration when Suho was gone. Then, he noticed the trail of blood on the ground and laughed to himself. The boy might have escaped, but he'd made it easy to follow him.

      “You _will_ die, you little wretch,” he threatened.

 

~*~

      The demon had been in the middle of destroying Japan when she felt the sudden surge of light energy from far away. Her eyes narrowed as they followed the source. The little guardians must have been up to something. She glanced around and sighed at the barren, crumbled buildings and streets. Even if the guardians were weaklings, they would still put up more of a fight than anyone else in the world. Perhaps she could have a little fun with them. If nothing else, the light was bothering her, almost calling to her, and she wanted it to stop.

 

      She flew up into the air, flying towards where she sensed the massive gathering of light. If the light guardian was behind this, he might prove to be a challenging opponent after all. She sensed Myungki's presence amid the fray as well. Perhaps they could crush the guardians together. This certainly seemed more entertaining than wiping out humans that could only run. Like Myungki, she enjoyed the challenge.


	42. Chapter 42

      The reservoir slowly appeared in Suho's vision and he let out a relieved sigh. He continued to lead the wolf there using the whips of water, then finally when they were close enough to the body of water, he knocked the wolf away from him with a massive wave. Suho fell to the ground and winced, grabbing his now bloody side, but he made sure to capture the wolf in an orb of water, watching it thrash about and slowly drown before tossing it to the side.

 

      Suho tried to get to his feet, letting out painful cries as he moved. He could barely stand, but he finally managed to balance himself on his good leg, just in time for Myungki to appear in the distance. Suho readied himself to attack, the water in the reservoir rippling behind him.

      “So you went and found a puddle. That's not going to help you against me!”

 

      Myungki sent an invisible force out to Suho, but the latter was too quick, creating a shield of water around himself. Myungki's power bounced off the water, not even coming close to Suho, and Myungki clicked his tongue in irritation.

 

      When attacking Suho directly didn't work, Myungki got a new idea. He began pushing Suho and his water shield backwards towards the reservoir. If he couldn't take the boy down himself, he would push him down and drown him. What Myungki failed to realize, was two could play at that game.

 

      Right as Suho met with the water, he sent a massive wave into the air. It took the shape of a hand before coming crashing down on Myungki, pulling him forward towards the reservoir. He didn't even have time to react before they were both pulled down into the water.

 

~*~

      Sehun had been fighting nonstop, looking around for Suho since they'd been separated. There was absolutely no sign of Suho or his powers. That was when Sehun heard it again, Suho's voice on the wind. No words were uttered, but the painful cries were enough for Sehun to know that Suho was in trouble and he needed to save him.

 

      Sehun ran across the field, dodging monsters in search for Lay. Finally, he found the healer hiding behind Chanyeol for protection. Sehun grabbed his hand harshly and paused only long enough to breathe.

      “Suho's hurt! He needs help!”

      “Where is he!?” Lay immediately asked, and that caused Sehun to panic more.

      “I don't know,” he whimpered. “I just heard his voice on the wind and he's in pain and I don't know where to find him!”

      “Who are you searching for?” Kris asked, landing nearby and setting Minseok down. They'd been shooting monsters with icicles from the air.

      “Suho! He needs help!”

      “I saw a massive wave in the distance when I was up in the air. That had to be him, right?”

      “Where did you see it!? Can you take us there?” Sehun begged.

      “I...Yeah, but I dunno if I can carry both of you at once...”

      “It's fine, take Lay,” Sehun said quickly. “I'll ride the wind.”

      “You'll what?” Lay asked in disbelief.

      “Ride the wind. I might have tripped in the courtyard and almost fallen to my death once,” Sehun mumbled. “Turns out I can control the wind around me and keep myself afloat. Cool, right?”

      “It we weren't in a dire situation, I would tear you a new asshole for being careless,” Lay sighed. “But first let's go take care of Suho.”

      “Right!”

 

      Kris grabbed Lay and flew up into the air. Sehun took off, somewhat shakily, as well. After that, the three began heading in the direction Kris had seen the wave. Sehun couldn't shake the horrible feeling in his gut. Suho _had_ to be alright.

 

~*~

      Suho's water shield failed as he crashed down into the water, and the oxygen that had been surrounding him quickly escaped. He tried to swim towards the surface, but his leg and side were too injured for him to make much progress. He spotted Myungki in the distance and decided to focus on getting rid of him once and for all instead.

 

      Suho used the water to force Myungki down lower, and at the same time, he felt an invisible force tug his ankle down. They were slowly dragging each other deeper, waiting for the first one to drown. Myungki tried to attack Suho, but his powers were slow, weighed down by the water surrounding them. Suho was in his natural element as well, so he easily pushed himself away, Myungki's attacks missing him completely.

 

      Finally, Suho sent a blast of water towards Myungki, knocking the air out of his lungs. He watched as the man gagged on water and thrashed about, trying to get to the surface for more air. Suho's own lungs were burning, but he ignored the pain and forced Myungki further down into the water. He would make sure that he was dead.

 

      Suho's lungs had long since expended the breath he'd been holding and black blurred at the edge of his vision, but he couldn't stop now. Myungki's movements were slowing down. The man gave one last writhe before going limp in the water. Suho cautiously, slowly let go of Myungki with the water, and the man stayed completely still. He was really dead.

 

      Relief flooded over Suho, and he tried his hardest to get back to the surface before he completely passed out. Even while using the water to push him up, his consciousness was fading fast, and along with it, his power. He held his hand up trying to breach the surface of water, but his eyes closed before he could make it. He was going to drown as well.

 

~*~

      When Sehun, Lay, and Kris landed, there was a massive reservoir before them, but Suho was nowhere in sight. Sehun called out for him frantically, running around trying to find any clue as to where he could be. His heart skipped a beat when he saw the dead wolf nearby. Suho had to have been here, but where did he go?

 

      Suddenly, Sehun noticed blood staining the ground. It didn't look like it belonged to the wolf either. He followed it and his heart sunk when it lead to the very edge of the reservoir. He glanced further out to the water and he noticed bubbles and ripples forming at the surface. It couldn't be!

 

      Without thinking, Sehun bolted into the water. He thought he heard Lay and Kris's panicked cries, but that didn't matter. If Joonmyun was drowning, all that mattered was saving him. Sehun would have screamed when he saw Suho's body floating limply towards the surface, but he was underwater and couldn't risk losing his breath. He swam down and grabbed Suho, then kicked as hard as he could to get back to the surface. As soon as their heads broke through the surface of the water, he cried out.

      “Lay! Help!”

 

      The healer was at the edge of the reservoir in seconds, Kris following behind him. They quickly pulled Suho out of the water and laid him down on the ground while Sehun pushed himself out of the water right after. He knelt beside Suho, placing his head on his lap, while Lay surveyed the damage. Sehun's fingers ghosted over Suho's lips and he felt queasy when he realized he wasn't breathing.

      “Lay, he's not...He's not breathing!”

      “Shit!”

 

      They laid Suho flat on the ground and Lay began trying to resuscitate him, since he was the only one out of the group that had a clue on how to do it. Sehun felt tears drip down his eyes as he clasped his hands and prayed silently. He couldn't lose Joonmyun. Lay had to bring him back.

      “Please...Please Joonmyun,” he chanted under his breath.

 

      When all hope felt like it was lost, Suho finally coughed up water and gasped for air. Sehun let out a mix between a sigh and a sob, and lifted him back onto his lap. Sehun ran his fingers through his soppy hair, watching as Suho's eyes slowly opened and settled on his surroundings. Lay had already moved on to healing his side and leg.

      “Sehun...?” Suho croaked out.

      “I'm right here,” the boy responded, running his fingers along Suho's cheek. “You're safe now, I've got you.”

      “You saved me again...”

      “Of course I did, idiot. There's no way I was going to let you drown! What the hell even happened!?”

      “He's dead,” Suho whispered. “Myungki's dead...I killed him.” All three paused for a moment and stared at him in shock.

      “He's really dead?” Lay asked. Suho nodded weakly and Sehun brushed his wet hair away from his face.

      “You did it, Joonmyun. You won,” he soothed. “He's gone now. He can't hurt your or anyone else anymore. It'll all be ok now.”

 

      Suho nodded weakly, a genuine smile spreading onto his tired features. Sehun watched nervously as Lay continued to heal him. Myungki certainly hadn't gone down without doing a number on Suho, but they were finally safe from his wrath. Suho could finally move on.

 

~*~

      Jongin had teleported back to the field from the light dimension and was looking around nervously, waiting for the goddess to show herself. She would naturally be attracted to the light, which was more or less where Jongin was standing, so he wasn't worried about not being able to find her. It was more that he was worried about having to finally confront her and trap her in the light dimension.

 

      The battle was still raging in the distance, and Jongin could see blasts of fire light up the sky. He wanted nothing more than to teleport to Chanyeol's side and cling to him, but he had to do this for Baekhyun, for all of their friends. All he had to do was make contact with her and he could teleport her away. It was simple, but Jongin was so scared of what he would have to do. He was even more scared about what Baekhyun would have to do after he brought the demon to him.

 

      After waiting for some time, the air around Jongin suddenly dropped in temperature, and his heart began to beat faster. She was almost there, he knew it. Finally, she appeared instantly in front of Jongin, throwing him off guard. He felt razor sharp claws tear across his chest and he staggered backwards. The demon's laugh filled his ears shortly after.

      “They left the weak little teleporter all by himself? You guardians really are idiots.”

 

      She lifted her claws, eyeing the blood covering them with disinterest. Jongin groaned and gripped at his bleeding chest, but he made sure to keep eye contact with her. He needed to wait for the perfect opportunity.

      “Don't worry. I'll put you out of your misery,” she growled darkly.

 

      Within seconds, she was in front of Jongin again, fingers wrapped unbearably tight around his neck, cutting off his access to air. He gasped and closed his eyes, trying to push himself through the pain. This was it.

      “Thanks for making this easy for me,” he wheezed, teleporting them seconds later.

 

      The demon hissed as she was surrounded by nothing but light. She cursed at Jongin and threw him to the ground as hard as she could. He lost consciousness upon hitting his head.

      “Where the hell did you take me, you little wretch!?” She howled, getting ready to slice him in two with her claws.

      “Don't touch him!” Baekhyun yelled, distracting her from finishing off his friend. “Your battle is with me.”

      “The light guardian...Is this your little cage? Did you think you could trap me here?”

      “I don't know. Wanna see if you can find a way out?” Baekhyun asked with more confidence than he actually had.

      “I suppose I'll have to after I kill you and your little friend.”

      “I'd like to see you try,” Baekhyun dared, holding up the purification knife.

      “Your wish is my command,” she growled.

 

      Seconds later, she was in front of Baekhyun, trying to swipe at him. He yelped and ducked, running to the side to avoid her attack. He channeled some of his energy into the knife and it began to glow. This was it. As soon as he stabbed her with it, everything would end. He didn't even have time to be sad about it before she was trying to attack him again and he was dodging out of the way. Stabbing her was going to prove to be a challenge at this rate. If he let his guard down at all, it was over.

 

      After a fair amount of running from her blows, Baekhyun found himself tiring out slowly. That was when she finally got the better of him and lashed out, her claws tearing across his cheek. He winced in pain, but decided to launch an attack of his own, swiping the dagger across her arm. She shrieked in pain and immediately retreated. Both light and darkness seeped out of her wound.

 

      Baekhyun took a moment to catch his breath, from both running and using the knife. He actually felt the depletion of his power. He needed to make his attacks count, otherwise he wouldn't have enough strength to purify her.

      “What is that knife!?” She screeched, causing Baekhyun to flinch slightly.

 

      She looked absolutely livid, and Baekhyun knew that she was serious now. Up until then she had been playing with him. Their game of cat and mouse wouldn't work anymore, so Baekhyun knew it was time for a new tactic. If she was going to come at him, he would let her come. He'd only have one shot at stabbing her before she dealt him the finishing blow, so he had to make sure he was prepared.

 

      He channeled more light into the dagger right as she started charging for him. Her claws were outstretched and Baekhyun knew he would need to strike her first. Everything seemed to move in slow motion as he side-stepped her attack and thrust the knife forward, plunging it straight into her chest. He hardly registered her howl of pain, and instead focused on channeling all of his light into the dagger.

 

      As he felt himself growing weaker, beams of light began to shoot out of the demons eyes, mouth and chest where Baekhyun had stabbed her. He couldn't tell if he was purifying her or simply hurting her, but he knew he couldn't stop. As he felt the last of his strength leave his body, light burst forth from the demon, completely surrounding him in his last moments of consciousness before his body hit the ground.


	43. Chapter 43

      When Baekhyun opened his eyes, he was surrounded by complete darkness. He felt like he was floating, but for whatever reason, moving his body felt unbelievably hard. Was he dead? Was this the afterlife? It was so unbelievably cold.

 

      He heard faint cries in the distance, and he forced his body to right itself. As he tried to take a step forward, he found his feet moving along some sort of ground, though he couldn't really see anything in the vast darkness surrounding him. As he approached the sounds, he realized it was a small girl's cries. Was she stranded in this strange place as well?

 

      Finally, after what felt like forever walking through nothingness, Baekhyun saw a little girl curled up in a ball, her knees hugged to her chest. He rushed over to her, his heart sinking when he realized she looked much younger than him. A girl this small shouldn't have been in a place like this. Wherever this place even was, that is.

 

      He knelt down in front of her and very cautiously reached his hand out, placing it lightly on her shoulder. She gasped and looked up at him fearfully.

      “Hey, what are you doing here?” He asked gently. She shook her head.

      “I-I don't know. I got lost and I've been here ever since. I'm so scared...”

      “Do you know where this place is?” Baekhyun asked.

      “The darkness. I don't know how to get out.”

      “How did you get here then?”

      “I don't know. It was so long ago,” the girl muttered, gripping her head and wincing. Baekhyun nodded and let out a deep sigh.

      “Do you remember anything then?”

      “I remember a large tree...It was really big and pretty, and people would gather there to worship.”

      “A tree,” Baekhyun repeated in thought.

 

      Was she talking about the Tree of Life? That had disappeared thousands of years ago. Could this girl be as old as Chungho then? How long had she even been in this place? Baekhyun's eyes widened when he thought about the timing longer. Could this be the goddess? Why was she so little? Had losing herself to darkness weakened her to this extent?

      “What's your name?” He asked next. She gave him a wary look. “I'm just trying to help you,” he soothed. “My name is Baekhyun!”

      “I don't remember my name,” she said softly, looking down at her feet with a sad expression. “I remember people used to call me 'My Lady.' Does that mean I used to be someone important?”

      “I think you used to be very important,” Baekhyun agreed. “We should probably get you back to where you came from since you were so important.”

      “But how? There's no way out! I looked everywhere!”

      “Let's just think,” Baekhyun comforted, sitting down in front of her. “Before I came here, I was purifying a demon. This place is the darkness, right? My power is light! Maybe I can find a way out of here for us.”

      “Your power is light?” The girl asked skeptically.

      “Yeah, watch!”

 

      He held two of his fingers up, pressed together, and his fingertips began to glow. The girl gasped and backed away in fear slightly, but Baekhyun quickly whispered comforting words. He very gently placed his fingers to her forehead, hoping she would feel the warmth from them. What he didn't expect was for her entire body to start glowing and transforming before his very eyes. Soon, he was seated, mouth agape, before a beautiful woman with a flowing silk dress and golden jewelry adorning her head, arms, and neck. She knelt down in front of him and placed her hand on his cheek.

      “You're the light guardian,” she whispered, smile wide on her lips.

      “T-That's right...You're the goddess?”

      “I am. You purified me, didn't you?” Baekhyun nodded in response. “But where is Daejung? When I left, he was the light guardian. You don't seem to be related to him by blood...”

      “He, um...He passed his powers off to another family, and the darkness consumed him.”

      “I see,” the goddess mumbled sadly. Baekhyun thought he saw tears gathering in her eyes, but she quickly forced them back. “You purified me in his stead, then.”

      “Yes...”

      “It seems the job isn't quite over.”

      “What do you mean!?” Baekhyun asked nervously. “Did I fail?”

      “No. You've done your part,” she explained softly. “You came into the darkness and purified me. Your light has opened a way out, see?”

 

      She pointed to something over Baekhyun's shoulder and he turned to look. Not far from them, a bright light was shining. Baekhyun had a feeling that was a portal out of this place.

      “Now all I have to do is leave this place. But there's a catch...”

      “My life, right?” Baekhyun muttered, the words heavy on his chest. She nodded sadly.

      “Your soul separated from your body to come here and find me. Once I leave, you'll be trapped here until you fade away.”

      “Will I be trapped here for long?” Baekhyun asked. She shook her head again.

      “You're already starting to fade.”

 

      Baekhyun looked down at his hands and realized they were see-through. He gasped and looked back at her fearfully. All she could do was smile at him sadly. She grabbed his hands and pulled him to his feet. She gave his hands a gentle squeeze, which surprisingly calmed him

      “Are you afraid?” She asked, still holding his hands.

      “I'm terrified,” Baekhyun answered instantly. “I don't want to die...especially alone here, but...if it meant I could save you and my friends, I don't regret it.”

      “You're very selfless...and you're _very_ loved. A true bearer of the light.”

      “Will you look after my friends for me?”

      “Of course. I'll take care of everything now.”

      “Will you...Will you tell Kris that I love him? Please?”

 

      A tear streaked down Baekhyun's cheek and he felt like he was crumbling inside. This was really the end. He would never see Kris again. He wished he could have said goodbye to him in a better way. Or at least held him one last time. He jolted out of his thoughts when the goddess wrapped her arms around him, hugging him close.

      “You really love him. I'm so sorry.”

      “It's alright...I did this for him. I just...”

      “I'll let him know,” she said gently, pulling away and gripping his shoulders.

      “Thank you.”

      “There's one last thing I need to ask from you.”

      “What's that?”

      “I need to take your power back. I can't recreate the Tree of Life if I don't have all 12 powers.”

      “Oh, right. Go ahead and take it. It's not like I'll be needing it much longer,” Baekhyun said with a bitter smile.

      “I'm truly sorry.”

 

      Baekhyun shook his head, letting her know it was alright. She placed her hand on his chest and Baekhyun watched as she pulled a bright, shining orb out of his body. He felt so much colder the instant it left him. She held it to her chest and took a few steps back, closer to the light that lead out of the darkness.

      “I'm sorry,” she whispered. “Thank you so much for saving me.”

 

      Baekhyun smiled and nodded. Words were suddenly so hard for him to form around the lump forming in his throat and the tears pouring down his cheeks. He waved as he watched her walk into the light, then stared down at his hands as they gradually disappeared. It was all over. This was the end for him.

 

~*~

      Jongin opened his eyes slowly. His chest felt like it was on fire, but he forced himself to sit up. As his vision cleared, his eyes settled on the still form in front of him. He gasped and crawled over, hissing as pain shot through his body.

      “Baekhyun!” He called out.

 

      He sat back on his heels and pulled Baekhyun's head into his lap. He shook the boy's shoulders, trying to wake him up as he called out to him repeatedly. There was no response. He shakily held his fingers in front of Baekhyun's nose. He wasn't breathing. He was really dead.

      “Baekhyun...” Jongin whimpered, shoulders shaking as tears trailed down his cheeks.

 

      He pressed his face in his hands, not bothering to quiet the sobs that wracked through his body. Living through this moment was harder than the entire week prior that he'd spent bracing himself for it. Baekhyun was really gone.

 

      His mourning was cut short as the dimension around him began to shake and collapse on itself. Now that Baekhyun was gone, there was no one holding the light dimension together. If he didn't get out of there fast, the whole thing would collapse on top of them. He let out a deep sigh and held Baekhyun tight before teleporting them both out of the area.

 

      They landed on the battlefield right where they'd made the light dimension. Baekhyun was lying lifeless in front of Jongin. Everything around them seemed to be quiet. The nearby monsters were slowly fading away. Had Baekhyun gotten rid of the darkness, thus the monsters couldn't keep their solid forms anymore?

 

      Jongin's shoulders shook and he began wailing into his hands again. He couldn't even bear looking at Baekhyun. It hurt too much. His cries must have been louder than he realized, because soon, he heard the voices of his friends calling for him in the distance and his throat began to ache. How was he going to explain this to them?

 

      He was glad that the first person to appear in the distance charging towards him was Chanyeol. He would be the easiest to talk to, especially with how nervous Jongin was. Baekhyun had left him with a hard job, and Jongin wanted nothing more than to just keep crying instead of facing reality.

 

      Chanyeol fell to his knees and scooped Jongin into his arms, pressing him to his chest. Jongin's wound stung as he was squeezed tightly, but he didn't care. He needed the comfort right now. He just wanted to keep crying on Chanyeol's chest, but of course his boyfriend immediately started asking questions.

      “Jongin, what's wrong!? What the hell happened?”

      “Baekhyun, he's...” Jongin managed before choking out another sob. This was too hard.

 

      Chanyeol seemed to get the message, as Jongin heard him gasp and felt him snuggle him closer. Jongin heard more footsteps and he figured the others were heading over now. Jongin had to turn away when he saw Kris fall to his knees beside Baekhyun and hesitantly pull him into his arms, a broken expression on his face. Jongin just couldn't watch this, so he sobbed into Chanyeol's chest instead.

 

      Kris cradled Baekhyun in his arms, eyes shaking and watering as he stared in disbelief. Baekhyun wasn't moving at all. Kris placed his hand on his chest, and the steady heartbeat that he'd fallen in love with was no more. He shook his head and tried to call out to Baekhyun quietly. This couldn't be happening.

      “Lay!” He called out in a weak voice.

 

      The healer was at his side in a matter of seconds, green light flowing into Baekhyun's chest. No matter what he did though, Baekhyun wasn't healing. Not even the cut on his cheek was closing up. A few tears escaped Lay's eyes and he used even more energy to heal him, as if it would make a difference.

      “Come on, Baekhyun, don't do this,” Lay whispered.

 

      As his head began to ache from using too much of his energy, Lay let his light die off. It was no use. He couldn't bring Baekhyun back. Kris gave him a pleading look and Lay shook his head, looking away. He couldn't save Baekhyun. It was too late.

      “No,” Kris whimpered, pressing Baekhyun's head to his chest and nestling his face in his hair. “This can't be happening...We were supposed to get through this together, Baekhyun...”

 

      Kris rocked back and forward, sobs escaping from his lips and getting muffled in Baekhyun's hair. Kris was certain if Baekhyun were alive, he would be crying in pain from how tightly Kris was holding him, but he wasn't. Baekhyun was dead in his arms.

      “You can't leave me...Please, you've got to wake up, Baekhyun!” He begged. There was no response. “Please! Don't do this to me...I need you, Baekhyun! I love you...”

 

      At that moment, all his emotions seemed to come gushing out at once. His shoulders shook violently as he screamed and cried into Baekhyun's hair. He vaguely felt Lay place his hand on his back to comfort him, but he was too far gone to react. He couldn't accept this. Baekhyun was supposed to live and they were supposed to see happier days. This couldn't have been reality. But as Kris's throat began to ache from screaming and his head pounded and ears throbbed, he knew this was real. All he could do was scream louder as the truth began to sink in.


	44. Chapter 44

      Jongin's nonstop crying was the only sound filling the air. Kris's screams had long since turned to silent sobs as he rocked back and forth, his boyfriend still snuggled in his arms. Tears were dripping down everyone's cheeks as reality was finally setting in. Lay felt like he'd been punched in the gut. He'd never felt so completely powerless before.

 

      Eventually, Chanyeol rubbed Jongin's back, calling out to him softly. Jongin pulled away just enough to look up at him. Needing something to distract him, Lay took that moment to scoot closer to Jongin and start healing his wounds. Chanyeol took a shaky breath before cupping Jongin's cheeks.

      “Will you tell us what happened?” Chanyeol asked softly. Jongin's lips quivered and fresh tears gathered in his eyes.

      “W-When Baekhyun got the knife...there was a note from Daejung with it.”

      “He did mention something like that,” Lay mumbled.

      “T-The note told him how to defeat the demon, but...”

      “But?” Chanyeol asked cautiously, wiping a few tears from Jongin's cheeks.

      “Using the dagger took all his strength,” Jongin managed before breaking down on Chanyeol's chest again.

      “Did he know it would kill him?” Sehun asked in a pained whisper. Jongin didn't respond, but he nodded.

 

      That just made Kris sob even harder. Baekhyun had been scared and all alone, knowing that he would die. How could he have hidden this from all of them? From Kris? They wouldn't have let him sacrifice himself if he'd just let them know. They would have tried to find another way. That was probably exactly why Baekhyun kept it from them though. Baekhyun had felt completely cornered and hopeless, and he was far too selfless for his own good. As Kris put realization after realization together, he found himself crying violently into Baekhyun's hair again. How could he leave him like this?

      “So Baekhyun got rid of the demon then?” Jongdae asked.

      “It seems that way,” Chanyeol stated. “All the monsters disappeared too.”

      “So what do we do now?” Luhan asked.

 

      The group exchanged sad glances. What _were_ they supposed to do now? The city was destroyed. The odds of their families still being alive after all this time were slim. They were all alone in this world, and they didn't even know how to start rebuilding everything they'd lost. There were so many things they _couldn't_ get back. They couldn't even celebrate their victory. It had cost far too much.

      “That's a good question,” a new, very familiar scratchy voice stated. The group turned and their jaws dropped as 3 figures walked over to them.

      “Chungho!” Sehun exclaimed happily.

 

      The old man was walking over to them with Taemin and Onew on either side. The two looked like they were worried about the man, in case he collapsed again, but Chungho looked just as peppy and happy as ever. That is, until his eyes focused on Baekhyun. Then his expression fell and he placed his hand to his chest over his heart.

      “You're awake again,” Suho commented in disbelief.

      “I am. When the darkness was defeated, I woke up again. I immediately took Taemin and Onew down here with me to find all of you.”

      “Chungho, Baekhyun is...” Kris started, choking on a sob before he finished his sentence. “Can you help him? Please!”

      “I can't do anything for him,” Chungho said sadly. “But I think there is someone who might be able to.”

      “Who!?” Kris practically shouted. Chungho smiled and stared up to the sky.

      “Don't you think it's about time you show yourself?” He called out to seemingly no one.

 

      The group looked around, waiting for something to happen. Suddenly, there was a bright light in the sky, and the group glanced up just in time to see it slowly take the form of a woman in a long, flowing white dress. She slowly descended towards them, landing lightly near Chungho. She looked at him nervously and bowed her head.

      “I'm sorry...”

      “You made a bloody mess of everything,” Chungho scolded. “I hope you plan to fix this.”

      “W-Wait...” Minseok stuttered. “Is she the...?”

      “The goddess, yes,” Chungho answered. The group stared in horror and disbelief.

      “A-Are you...safe? And not evil now?” Tao asked nervously.

      “Yes, Baekhyun purified me,” she said softly.

      “You met Baekhyun?” Kris asked, looking up at her with hope in his eyes, despite the tears. She nodded slowly.

      “We talked a little before he died. He loved you all dearly, especially you, Kris.”

      “But he's gone now...” Kris whimpered, hugging his boyfriend close.

      “I can fix everything,” the woman explained. Everyone's eyes were instantly on her, ever attentive.

      “Everything?” Kyungsoo asked.

      “Can you bring the city back? And everyone who died?” Jongdae asked.

      “Can you bring Baekhyun back?” Kris asked, voice shaking. She smiled and nodded.

      “I can do all of that.”

      “Then do it!” Sehun gasped. The goddess laughed gently.

      “I need something from each of you first.”

      “W-What?” Jongin asked fearfully. “Are we going to die like Baekhyun?”

      “No, of course not! I simply need to take your powers back. If I do that, I can restore the Tree of Life, and my powers will return in full. After that, I can bring everything back to the way it was.”

      “And taking our powers is harmless?” Suho asked.

      “Yes. You won't feel a thing.”

      “Alright, do it,” Minseok stated immediately.

 

      She nodded, then walked over to where Kris was, still holding Baekhyun tight in his arms. She knelt in front of them, gently brushing her fingers over Baekhyun's cheek. Kris bit his lip and looked up at her.

      “I miss him...”

      “I know,” she whispered. “He loved you more than anything, you know? He asked me to look after you, and I fully intend to. I'll look after him as well.”

      “You'll really bring him back?”

 

      She smiled and held her hand out before him. Above her palm, an orb of light slowly formed, pulsing a bit. She held it close to Kris's cheek and he felt warmth radiating off of it, a warmth he'd felt so many times before, whenever he'd held his boyfriend.

      “Baekhyun...”

      “This is his power. I took it from him before he disappeared,” she explained. “You feel that warmth, right? Baekhyun's soul resides within his power. He's still safe, right here with me. I promise I'll bring him back as soon as the Tree of Life is standing again.”

      “Take my power. I don't need it. I just need him!”

 

      She nodded, pulling Baekhyun's orb away from him and letting it fade once more. After that, she placed her hand on Kris's chest and slowly pulled another orb of light out. Upon seeing that Kris was perfectly fine after the goddess had taken his power, the others quickly stepped forward to have their powers taken as well. It was an odd feeling, since they'd all gotten so accustomed to their powers being a part of them. If this could finally restore balance to the world though, they would gladly give them up. When the goddess had finished taking their powers back, she turned to Chungho, giving him a warm smile.

      “Are you ready?”

      “Yes. It's finally time,” the old man said, a relieved tone in his voice.

      “Time for what?” Chanyeol asked warily.

      “I'm sorry, boys. I'm afraid I kept one last part of the legend from you, but it was for the preservation of the Tree. You see, when the goddess split it into 12 parts, there was a secret, 13th part: the heart of the Tree of Life. That final piece rests within me, and it must be returned to the Tree of Life for it to be complete.”

      “So then...What will happen to you?” Sehun asked nervously.

      “My life should have ended long ago, but it's tied to the Tree now. When the Tree of Life is recreated, I'll become one with it.”

      “But that's...” Luhan started.

      “We'll miss you,” Jongin mumbled.

      “It's alright, little ones. I've lived a long life, and I got to spend the last of my days with all of you. I was truly blessed, and I thank you.”

      “This location is where the old tree was,” the goddess commented. “We're in the perfect spot.”

      “Wait...” Jongin spoke up, lifting himself out of Chanyeol's arms.

      “What is it?” The goddess asked gently.

      “I have a request...”

 

      Jongin walked over to the goddess and whispered something in her ear. She nodded and the others watched the smile grow on her face. Finally, Jongin pulled away and stared at the goddess with hopeful eyes.

      “Yes, we can do that,” she agreed. “Alright everyone, we're going to change things just a little bit.”

 

      Before the others could question what she meant, they felt the sensation of being teleported, despite Jongin not having his power anymore. When they landed, they were standing amid the remains of a park near their school. They gave Jongin a questioning look and he smiled bashfully.

      “I thought it might be nicer if Chungho was surrounded by other trees...And he'd be a lot closer to us so we could visit him after school.”

      “Good thinking, Jongin,” Chanyeol complimented, wrapping his arm around the boy's waist. Chungho wiped a tear from his eye and chuckled.

      “Thank you so much, my little ones. You all mean so much to me. I hope I can watch you all grow into wonderful adults.”

      “We'll do our best,” Lay promised. The goddess reached for Chungho's hand.

      “I think it's time,” she stated. Chungho nodded.

      “Goodbye, little ones.”

 

      Each of the guardians hugged Chungho and said goodbye to him. It was hard, since the man had become like a grandfather to all of them. Sehun had an especially hard time, forcing back tears and hugging him for just a few seconds longer than the others.

      “Goodbye, you old fart.”

      “I can't believe you still have the nerve to call me things like that,” the old man huffed. “You and I are related by blood even!”

      “Then what should I call you?” The boy asked bashfully, surprising Chungho a bit.

      “Uncle could work.”

      “Goodbye, uncle,” Sehun whispered, pulling Chungho into another hug. The old man sighed and rubbed Sehun's back.

 

      When Sehun finally pulled away, Chungho waved goodbye to everyone before standing where the new tree was going to be planted. The goddess released the orbs she'd collected from the guardians, and they circled around Chungho before colliding with him. There was a flash of light, and when the guardians opened their eyes again, a massive, beautiful tree with wide branches and glistening leaves stood before them. The group turned to the goddess.

      “So what now?” Suho asked.

      “I return everything to the way it was. Your job ends here.”

      “It's going to be weird going back to the old days...” Luhan mumbled.

      “You'll get used to it again,” the goddess soothed.

      “Is this goodbye to you now too?” Chanyeol asked. The goddess shook her head and smiled.

      “I'll always be here, right with Chungho. Thank you so much, guardians. The world is safe thanks to your efforts. Now close your eyes. Everything will come back to you.”

 

      As the goddess spoke to them, a lull overcame the group. Their eyes couldn't help but droop closed as she spoke in a soft voice. The last thing they remembered before losing consciousness was the goddess waving goodbye with a wide smile.

 

~*~

      Jongin vaguely remembered falling asleep against Chanyeol's chest, but that warmth was soon replaced with soft fabric. An alarm sounded loudly and Jongin shot up from bed, glancing around to find the source of the noise. He was back in his room, and his alarm was blaring at him, alerting him that it was 7 am, which was when he usually woke up to go to school. He quickly glanced at his calendar and gasped when he realized that it was the day after the school had been attacked. He was in his house, which was still in tact. That must have meant his parents were still alive as well.

 

      His suspicions were quickly confirmed when his mother shouted up the stairs for him to get up and come eat. Jongin shakily lifted himself out of bed, then walked to his closet to get his uniform. As he was changing, he glanced in the mirror and noticed the scar on his stomach was still there. It really had happened. Jongin hadn't dreamed the whole thing up. Of course he hadn't. That had all felt far too real to be a dream. He would have to make sure to hide his scars from his parents. There was no way he could explain how they got there.

 

      He finished getting ready for school and left the house, feeling nervous for some reason. It had been so long since he'd gone to school, it was scary to just suddenly return to the routine. He knew it wouldn't happen, but he couldn't help but glance over his shoulder every so often in case he got attacked. He jumped when a hand landed on his shoulder.

      “Yo~” Sehun greeted. Taemin was standing beside him.

      “It's really all back to normal,” Jongin whispered.

      “Yeah, minus the scars and memories and stuff,” Sehun shrugged.

      “Ready to go back to school finally?” Taemin asked.

      “Definitely,” Jongin agreed.

      “We're gonna have to think of a good excuse for sucking at dancing, because I dunno about you two, but I can't remember _any_ of the dances we were working on,” Sehun sighed.

      “Shit, you're right,” Taemin groaned.

 

      Along the way, they spotted Lay and Tao walking together hand in hand. The latter waved to them shyly, and Lay followed his actions, though much more lively. Taemin, Sehun, and Jongin walked over to them.

      “Morning!” Tao greeted.

      “Morning~” Taemin greeted back.

      “Walking your boyfriend to school?” Sehun teased. Lay rolled his eyes.

      “Yes, I am. Tao goes to the same school as Kyungsoo and Jongdae, did you know that?”

      “No, we didn't. Be sure to say hi to them!” Jongin said happily.

      “Will do~” Lay answered.

      “Don't spend too much time kissing Tao or you'll be late,” Sehun teased.

      “I'll be there on time, don't worry,” Lay said irritably before walking away and leaving them.

 

      Sehun, Taemin and Jongin continued to walk to school. When they reached the school gate, their school stood completely unharmed. All the damage and evidence of the attack had disappeared. Everything really was back to normal. It was a little uncanny.

 

~*~

      Kris had been so anxious to get to school, he practically inhaled his breakfast and ran the entire way. He was exhausted by the time he got to the halls where the lockers were. He had to see for himself if _everything_ was back to normal like the goddess had promised. As he was getting ready to turn the corner to the hallway where his locker was, he heard something slam against the lockers and a group of students laugh. That was when he heard it. The voice he'd fallen in love with.

      “Damn assholes don't even know I saved their fucking asses,” the voice grumbled quietly. Kris charged around the corner and his eyes immediately focused on the small figure standing by the lockers.

      “BAEKHYUN!” He screamed.

 

      The boy looked up with wide eyes and was clobbered in an embrace before he could respond. Kris felt tears gathering in his eyes as he held Baekhyun close. He could vaguely feel the upraised scars through his shirt. He was real. Baekhyun was alive and breathing. He was laughing, and the sound was music to Kris's ears.

      “Hey, Yifan,” Baekhyun greeted softly, rubbing his hands along Kris's shoulder blades as he returned the hug. “I missed you.”

      “Never do that again!” Kris scolded, pulling away and cupping Baekhyun's cheeks. “Why the hell didn't you tell me!?”

      “I didn't know how,” Baekhyun whispered. He placed his hands on top of Kris's. “I was so scared, but I couldn't find a way to tell you.”

      “Did it hurt?” Kris asked in a voice almost inaudible. Baekhyun shook his head.

      “It was painless.” Kris nodded. He could at least take relief in that. “I'm back now, Yifan,” Baekhyun said next. “You don't have to be upset or feel guilty anymore, ok? I'm back and I'm safe...I'm alive.”

      “You're alive,” Kris repeated softly. “You're alive...”

 

      Baekhyun smiled and leaned forward, kissing Kris and wrapping his arms around his neck. Kris's arms were right back around his waist, pulling him closer. Kris didn't even care about all the other students watching them in shock as they kissed in the middle of the hallway. Kris was above the clouds. Baekhyun was alive, and everything felt right again.


	45. Chapter 45

      With their lives returning to the way they were before the attack, it came with a few downsides that the group hadn't considered in full. Specifically, Sehun and Jongin. While everyone else had met through school, Joonmyun and Chanyeol had never been a part of the student body, which meant they weren't there. They had all but disappeared from Jongin's and Sehun's lives.

 

      It had been a few days since everything had reverted back, and while school was getting easier to go to and the group was already regretting having to deal with homework and tests again, Sehun and Jongin hadn't gotten used to the sudden loss of their boyfriends. They masked it well around the others, since they didn't want to bring the group's spirits down, but when Sehun and Jongin were with each other, they were far from happy. Jongin was quiet, and Sehun more often than not saw tears gathering in his eyes, just to be forced back later. Sehun was better at masking his emotions, but it didn't mean he wasn't worried about Joonmyun. He was dying to see him again, and the constant fear that he wasn't going to come back to him was eating away at him. He knew he needed to trust Joonmyun, but it was so hard. What if he'd forgotten about Sehun when everything went back to 'normal?'

      “I miss him,” Jongin whispered, and Sehun knew he was talking about Chanyeol. They'd gone up to the rooftop after school for some peace and quiet.

      “I know...I miss Joonmyun too.”

      “Where do you think they are?”

      “I don't know. Joonmyun came to us on the day of the attack, so I don't know where he ended up...”

      “Chanyeol was in Daejung's hideout when I met him...What if he's buried underground?” Jongin asked fearfully.

      “The goddess wouldn't do that. She would make sure they're ok.”

      “You trust her?”

      “I have to,” Sehun sighed. “That's the only way I know I'll get to see Joonmyun again.”

      “You'll see them again,” a third voice stated. The two turned to see Taemin walking over. He sat down beside them and nudged Sehun's shoulder. “They loved you. They'll find you again.”

      “How long do you think it'll take?” Sehun asked with a pout.

      “I don't know, but you'll have to be patient, unless you have a way to search for them instead.”

      “I hate you and your stupid logic,” Sehun grumbled. That brought a small smile to Jongin's face.

      “How's Onew?” Jongin asked gently.

      “He's great. Very glad to have his arm back,” Taemin happily explained. “I'm glad it's back too. It's taking a while to readjust to not being in danger of dying every day, but it's a nice change.”

      “You two gotten it on since we got back?” Sehun teased. Taemin blushed and cleared his throat.

      “Not since we got back, no...”

      “Wait, 'not since!?'” Sehun repeated. “When did you two?”

      “At the library,” Taemin mumbled.

      “How could you not tell me!? I demand details!” Sehun shouted.

 

      Jongin laughed as he watched his two best friends bicker. Taemin had dug his own grave and no matter how he tried to change the subject, Sehun wouldn't let it pass. Jongin wished he were better at distracting himself. He believed that Chanyeol wouldn't leave him, but it was so hard to just sit and wait. He really hoped he was safe.

 

~*~

      Minseok walked down the hall, gummy smile on his face, as he headed to Luhan's locker. Luhan had been distant at first when they first got back, as if he couldn't tell if everything was real or just a dream. Minseok couldn't blame him. He'd had similar thoughts as well. After his first dance class though, feeling his body ache as he tried to dance for the first time in 'months,' he knew it was real.

 

      Luhan had choir during the period that Minseok had dance, and the choir room was on the way to the dance studio, so Minseok usually walked with Luhan every day. The hardest part for Minseok to adjust to was the level of affection Luhan wanted to show at school. After all, technically no one knew they were dating. Minseok wasn't even sure if they were actually dating. They loved each other, so he figured they were, but Luhan never really mentioned it or did anything to show that they were. Minseok figured he just needed time, and that was what he would give him.

 

      He stopped beside Luhan's locker and leaned against the wall, waiting for the boy to finish shifting books and grab his music binder. Luhan hadn't looked up to greet him, so Minseok decided to vocalize his presence instead.

      “Hey,” he said smiling expectantly.

      “Hey,” Luhan greeted back, not looking up from his backpack. Minseok pouted slightly.

      “How's your day been?”

      “Good. Yours?”

      “Alright I guess,” Minseok sighed.

 

      His tone finally made Luhan look up from his backpack, curious why Minseok suddenly seemed down. He smiled and leaned towards him, quickly kissing his lips and causing Minseok to gasp and stare at him with wide eyes.

      “Does that make your day better?” Luhan asked, sticking his tongue out. Minseok sputtered and struggled to respond for a moment.

      “Y-Yeah, I guess...” He finally grunted. Luhan laughed and rolled his eyes. He shut his locker and held his hand out for Minseok to take.

      “Come on. We're going to be late for class.” Minseok eyed his hand then the few other students in the hallway.

      “You sure you're ok with all this?”

      “Of course. I'm ready,” Luhan said softly.

 

      Minseok smiled and grabbed Luhan's hand and they started walking to his classroom together. Minseok was pretty sure that life was even better now than it had been before the attack had happened. It must have seemed strange to everyone around them how Minseok and Luhan had gone from hardly talking to each other to dating over seemingly one night, but Minseok didn't care. He was just glad that everything had happened, and they'd lived to see this day together.

 

~*~

      The school days seemed to pass surprisingly fast. It had been 2 weeks since they'd resumed their previous lives as students. School kept Jongin and Sehun preoccupied most of the time, and whenever they had free time, it was usually spent with the others. Everyone knew by now that they missed Chanyeol and Joonmyun, so they tried their best to keep them company. Even Tao, Jongdae, and Kyungsoo would come and hang out with them after school sometimes.

 

      It was a Friday afternoon when flocks of girls seemed to be crowding around the school gate. Sehun, Jongin, and Taemin were just getting out of dance practice. Lay had already left to see Tao and Minseok and Luhan were on a date, so it was just their good old trio again. Sehun had become rather bitter over the weeks, both at the goddess for separating him from his boyfriend, and at Joonmyun for taking so long to come back.

 

      What he didn't expect to see was the head of red hair barely peeking out from over the girls who were squealing for some reason. Sehun froze for a moment, trying to make sure his eyes weren't playing tricks on him, but when the red-head finally pushed his way through the crowd and Sehun got a good look, he let out a small sob and charged forward.

      “Joonmyun!” He shouted, clobbering his boyfriend in a hug. The girls gasped and began to disperse as they realized the red-head was definitely not available.

      “Hey,” Joonmyun whispered, hugging Sehun close. “I'm glad you're safe.”

      “Where were you? What took you so long?” Sehun practically whined. Joonmyun just laughed and cupped Sehun's cheeks, giving him a kiss.

      “I woke up at one of our old hideouts in an abandoned building across town. I'm sorry it took me so long, but I was trying to get my life together.”

      “What do you mean?” Sehun asked.

      “I, uh...haven't been to school in a really long time,” Joonmyun admitted shyly. “I'm 19, but I never really went to high school, let alone graduated. And I have no where to live and no job...So I was trying to learn what I could do to get myself back on my feet.”

      “Why didn't you come to me? I could have helped you with that...”

      “I'm coming to you know,” Joonmyun said softly. “I've got a lot of studying to catch up on, a test to take to try and get my diploma, and I'm in need of somewhere to stay...”

      “Well, I suck at studying, but I'll try,” Sehun laughed. “But you can definitely stay at my house.”

      “Your parents won't mind?”

      “They work a lot so it's fine really. Besides, you're my boyfriend and you're a great person so they'll love you~”

      “I'm glad to hear that. I haven't been sleeping well without you,” Joonmyun whispered, pulling Sehun close again. “I got too used to it.”

      “I can help with that too,” Sehun mumbled back shyly. Someone cleared their throat behind them.

      “Alright, lovebirds. Take your gross cheesy scene elsewhere,” Taemin huffed. This was payback for the other day.

      “Shut up,” Sehun groaned.

 

      Jongin giggled softly and watched, yet again, as Taemin and Sehun bickered, but this time, Joonmyun's arms were firmly around Sehun's waist. Jongin couldn't help the soft sigh that left his lips. Where was Chanyeol? Why wasn't he here yet?

 

~*~

      Another week went on, and Jongin felt like he was finally starting to lose hope. Sehun had thankfully been respectful and hadn't flaunted Joonmyun's presence in his face, but it was still hard being alone. Maybe Chanyeol wasn't coming back after all.

 

      Jongin was in math class when the teacher came in announcing another transfer student. Jongin raised his eyebrow since it was a little late for someone to be transferring in, but it wasn't like it never happened. What he didn't expect was for a tall boy with a deep voice, large ears, and a painfully familiar wide grin to greet the class. Jongin had to use every ounce of his self control not to jump out of his seat and tackle him. Chanyeol was back.

 

      The teacher directed Chanyeol to sit down in the seat behind Jongin. As soon as Chanyeol was seated, Jongin turned sideways in his chair so he could look at him, his eyes holding a million questions he wanted to ask. All Chanyeol did was smile warmly and grab Jongin's hand that was resting on the top of the desk in between them. It was still just as warm as Jongin remembered, even without Chanyeol's power. Sitting through class was going to be torture now.

 

      As soon as class ended, Jongin pulled Chanyeol from his seat, leading him to the bathroom. He checked to make sure they were alone before finally charging at him, wrapping his arms around Chanyeol's waist and rubbing his face into his chest. He was real. Chanyeol was here with him finally.

      “I missed you too,” Chanyeol spoke softly, his deep voice sending chills down Jongin's back.

      “I missed you so much...I was so scared something had happened to you. I was scared I'd never see you again...”

      “Come on, Jongin. You know me better than that,” Chanyeol laughed. “I would never leave you alone. I would miss you too much.”

      “Where were you?”

      “I actually got sent to Daejung's hideout...Well, more like I was lying on the ground on top of it. It took a while to walk back to town, and I was exhausted and hungry, so I spent some time in a shelter. Then I worked on getting transferred to your school. I got held back a year though so you and I are in class together. Hope that doesn't make me too lame...”

      “Not at all! I'm so happy. I love you so much, Chanyeol.”

      “I love you too, Jongin.” There was a moment of silence before Jongin realized something.

      “Wait, where are you living then? What about food?”

      “Um, nowhere really...and the school lunch I got free since I'm in a financial pinch, but that was the last meal I had...”

      “Chanyeol! You need to take care of yourself...”

      “I know. I'm working on it, Jongin.”

      “Stay with me,” the younger said suddenly, surprising Chanyeol. “I'll talk to my parents. Don't go back to some shelter. I'll take care of you instead.”

 

      Chanyeol smiled and nodded, leaning forward to rest his chin on Jongin's shoulder. It had taken him a while, but he was finally back, and he would gladly do anything to stay by Jongin's side. He'd missed this feeling so much. Finally, everything was the way it should be.

 

~*~

      It was a month after they'd gone back to school when they finally all decided to gather in the park for a picnic. It was the first time they'd been together as 14 since everything had happened. It was a nostalgic feeling, almost like they were back in the library. They missed the old library, especially the kooky old man that used to live there. It had become a second home to them.

 

      They sat under the new tree that had mysteriously appeared in the park over night. It had been a huge story on the news, and it was amusing to watch scientists speculate what the group could really only describe as magic. They knew the truth of course, but no one would ever believe them if they told them. They didn't need to be believed though. It was enough just for them to remember.

 

      As they ate, they recollected on memories of the library and the battles they fought. It had been such a scary experience for them, but somehow they could only look upon it fondly. Kris and Baekhyun were leaning against the new tree, and it felt so comfortable, like they were home. The strange loneliness they'd been feeling since everything had returned to normal seemed to melt away under that tree.

      “Hey Baekhyun,” Sehun started. “How does it feel being dead?” Kris glared at him while Joonmyun smacked him on the back of the head. “What!? I'm curious!”

      “Tact, Sehun,” Joonmyun sighed. “Tact!”

      “Whatever,” the youngest shrugged.

      “I really wouldn't be able to tell you,” Baekhyun said with a soft smile. “I wasn't dead that long and I had a weird out of body experience before it happened, so I don't really know how to differentiate.”

      “Can we change the subject?” Kris grunted. Baekhyun snuggled against him and smiled at the pout his boyfriend was poorly masking.

      “How's it like having an arm again?” Jongdae asked Onew next.

      “Jongdae! That's not a better topic!” Kyungsoo scolded.

      “Sure it is!”

      “It is really nice to have it back,” Onew laughed.

 

      The rest slowly erupted into laughter and it felt just like they were back at the library. All that was missing was Chungho. It had been hard to accept that Chungho was now in the form of a tree and would never be able to tell them another embarrassing joke, but when they sat underneath the branches, it was calming at least.

      “You know, the news is all over figuring out what's up with this tree,” Lay said.

      “I guess I forgot about them when I picked the spot,” Jongin laughed shyly.

      “Not hard to,” Sehun commented. “They were all dead a month ago.”

      “Sehun!” Joonmyun shouted.

      “I'm just saying!” His boyfriend whined.

      “But you know,” Baekhyun started. “No matter what he does, Chungho always manages to make a weird first impression.”

      “You can say that again,” Luhan sighed.

      “But no matter what, you still end up loving him in the end,” Minseok said gently. “I think a lot of people will come to love this tree.”

 

      The group nodded in agreement. Soon, they broke out into more fits of laughter, recalling some of the weird things Chungho had said and done. Warmth and nostalgia seemed to melt away all the sadness they were feeling. A gentle, warm breeze wafted through the leaves of the tree, and through the whistle of the wind, they swore they could hear the old man laughing along with them.


End file.
